Share of single-parent households in Kenya
Kenya: Share of single-parent households was 12.4% in 2020. ▬ Flat
Share of single-parent households in Kenya, 1969–2020
Source: United Nations (2022) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of single-parent households in Kenya stood at 12.4%. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.
The figure is down 12.8% on the previous year and down 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of single-parent households in Kenya peaked at 16.1% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 12.4%, in 2020.
That places Kenya 19th out of 70 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of single-parent households in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 12.4% | — |
| 1989 | 16.1% | +29.4% |
| 1993 | 14.6% | -9.2% |
| 1998 | 15.4% | +5.1% |
| 1999 | 14.2% | -7.4% |
| 2000 | 14.2% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 14.7% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 14.2% | -7.9% |
| 2015 | 14.9% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 14.2% | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 12.4% | -12.8% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 12.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.3%, 1.3× the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 12.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.6%, 1.3× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.4% | 12.4% | 12.4% | 1 |
| 1980s | 16.1% | 16.1% | 16.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 14.7% | 14.2% | 15.4% | 3 |
| 2000s | 14.8% | 14.2% | 15.4% | 3 |
| 2010s | 14.5% | 14.2% | 14.9% | 3 |
| 2020s | 12.4% | 12.4% | 12.4% | 1 |
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 share of single-parent households in Kenya?
- Share of single-parent households in Kenya was 12.4% in 2020, according to United Nations (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of single-parent households recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 1989.
- What is the lowest share of single-parent households recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.4% in 2020.
- How does Kenya rank for share of single-parent households?
- Kenya ranks 19th out of 70 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of single-parent households rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2022) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of single-parent households. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Percentage of households comprised of a single parent and his or her children (biological, step, and adopted/foster children), irrespective of children’s ages, and no one else.