Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Kenya
Kenya: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 75.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Kenya, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 75.3% for share of population living in urban and rural areas in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Kenya peaked at 75.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 22.9%, in 1950.
That places Kenya 111th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 22.9% | — |
| 1955 | 25.0% | +9.0% |
| 1960 | 27.9% | +11.7% |
| 1965 | 31.6% | +13.3% |
| 1970 | 35.7% | +13.0% |
| 1975 | 39.6% | +10.9% |
| 1980 | 44.4% | +12.1% |
| 1985 | 49.7% | +11.9% |
| 1990 | 55.3% | +11.3% |
| 1995 | 58.5% | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 62.1% | +6.2% |
| 2005 | 64.7% | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 68.8% | +6.4% |
| 2015 | 72.5% | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 75.3% | +3.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 23.9% | 22.9% | 25.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 29.8% | 27.9% | 31.6% | 2 |
| 1970s | 37.7% | 35.7% | 39.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 47.0% | 44.4% | 49.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 56.9% | 55.3% | 58.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 63.4% | 62.1% | 64.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 70.7% | 68.8% | 72.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 75.3% | 75.3% | 75.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 108 Kyrgyzstan 75.5% compare
- 109 Antigua and Barbuda 75.5% compare
- 110 Libya 75.4% compare
- 112 Angola 75.2% compare
- 113 Guadeloupe 75.0% compare
- 114 Gambia 74.9% compare
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 share of population living in urban and rural areas in Kenya?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Kenya was 75.3% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 75.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.9% in 1950.
- How does Kenya rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Kenya ranks 111th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.