People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya
Kenya: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 16.01 million people in 2024. ▬ Flat
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 16.01 million people for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya peaked at 17.73 million people in 2012 and was at its lowest, 16.01 million people, in 2024.
That places Kenya 9th out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.27 million people | — |
| 2001 | 16.44 million people | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 16.61 million people | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 16.77 million people | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 16.93 million people | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 17.08 million people | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 17.21 million people | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 17.34 million people | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 17.46 million people | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 17.58 million people | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 17.66 million people | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 17.71 million people | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 17.73 million people | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 17.71 million people | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 17.66 million people | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 17.57 million people | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 17.48 million people | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 17.36 million people | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 17.21 million people | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 17.04 million people | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 16.86 million people | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 16.66 million people | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 16.45 million people | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 16.24 million people | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 16.01 million people | -1.4% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 16.01 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.54 million people, 10.4× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 16.01 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.04 million people, 3.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.97 million people | 16.27 million people | 17.58 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.51 million people | 17.04 million people | 17.73 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.44 million people | 16.01 million people | 16.86 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 people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya was 16.01 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 people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 17.73 million people in 2012.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.01 million people in 2024.
- How does Kenya rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Kenya ranks 9th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.