Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Kenya
Kenya: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 3.21 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas 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
In 2024, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Kenya stood at 3.21 million people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 4.8% on the previous year and down 29.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Kenya peaked at 5.03 million people in 2002 and was at its lowest, 3.21 million people, in 2024.
Kenya ranks 21st of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.02 million people | — |
| 2001 | 5.02 million people | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 5.03 million people | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 5.03 million people | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 5.02 million people | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 5.01 million people | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 4.99 million people | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 4.97 million people | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 4.94 million people | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 4.91 million people | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 4.87 million people | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 4.81 million people | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 4.74 million people | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 4.66 million people | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 4.57 million people | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 4.46 million people | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 4.35 million people | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 4.23 million people | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 4.11 million people | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 3.97 million people | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 3.83 million people | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 3.68 million people | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 3.53 million people | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 3.37 million people | -4.4% |
| 2024 | 3.21 million people | -4.8% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 3.21 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 539,517 people, 6.0× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 3.21 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.16 million people, 2.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.00 million people | 4.91 million people | 5.03 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.48 million people | 3.97 million people | 4.87 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.52 million people | 3.21 million people | 3.83 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 sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Kenya?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Kenya was 3.21 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 sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 5.03 million people in 2002.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.21 million people in 2024.
- How does Kenya rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Kenya ranks 21st out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.7%. 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 Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas. 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
Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.