Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Kenya

Kenya: Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) was 16.1% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
16.1%
World rank
44th
of 113 countries
All-time high
34.8%
in 1992
All-time low
15.2%
in 2015
Years of data
6
1992–2021

Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Kenya, 1992–2021

01020301992200620211992: 34.8 %1994: 19 %1997: 19.1 %2005: 21.5 %2015: 15.2 %2021: 16.1 %

Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2021, income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Kenya stood at 16.1%.

The figure is up 6.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Kenya peaked at 34.8% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 15.2%, in 2015.

Kenya ranks 44th of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 24.3% 19.0% 34.8% 3
2000s 21.5% 21.5% 21.5% 1
2010s 15.2% 15.2% 15.2% 1
2020s 16.1% 16.1% 16.1% 1

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 41 Mongolia 16.4% compare
  2. 42 Palestine 16.2% compare
  3. 43 Bangladesh 16.1% compare
  4. 45 Gambia 16.0% compare
  5. 46 Mauritius 15.9% compare
  6. 47 Vietnam 15.7% compare

See the full ranking of 113 places →

More reference data data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Kenya?
Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Kenya was 16.1% in 2021, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest income share of the richest 1% (before tax) recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 34.8% in 1992.
What is the lowest income share of the richest 1% (before tax) recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 15.2% in 2015.
How does Kenya rank for income share of the richest 1% (before tax)?
Kenya ranks 44th out of 113 countries with data for 2021.
Is income share of the richest 1% (before tax) rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 1% (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Income share of the richest 1% (before tax)
Unit
%
Source
World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
113 places, 3,075 data points, 1820–2024
Last refreshed

The share of income received by the richest 1%. Income here is measured before taxes and benefits.