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.
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
- Spring temperature anomalies -1.09 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7428 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.7503 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.5834 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.22 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 267.82 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
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