Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Kenya
Kenya: Rural population without basic handwashing facilities was 20.46 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Kenya, 2011–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Kenya stood at 20.46 million people. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.5% on the previous year and down 30.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Kenya peaked at 29.79 million people in 2015 and was at its lowest, 20.46 million people, in 2024.
That places Kenya 11th out of 113 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 27.66 million people | — |
| 2012 | 28.24 million people | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 28.79 million people | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 29.30 million people | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 29.79 million people | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 28.95 million people | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 28.07 million people | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 27.11 million people | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 26.10 million people | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 25.04 million people | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 23.94 million people | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 22.81 million people | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 21.65 million people | -5.1% |
| 2024 | 20.46 million people | -5.5% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 20.46 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.83 million people, 5.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 20.46 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.33 million people, 2.5× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 28.22 million people | 26.10 million people | 29.79 million people | 9 |
| 2020s | 22.78 million people | 20.46 million people | 25.04 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Kenya?
- Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Kenya was 20.46 million people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest rural population without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 29.79 million people in 2015.
- What is the lowest rural population without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.46 million people in 2024.
- How does Kenya rank for rural population without basic handwashing facilities?
- Kenya ranks 11th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population without basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rural population without basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People without access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.