Rural population, annual growth rate in Kenya
Kenya: Rural population, annual growth rate was 1.47 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.47 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
36th
of 208 countries
All-time high
3.9 % change on previous year
in 1966
All-time low
0.5569 % change on previous year
in 2005
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Rural population, annual growth rate in Kenya, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 1.47 % change on previous year for rural population, annual growth rate in 2025.
That represents a change of down 7.3% on the previous year and down 37.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, annual growth rate in Kenya peaked at 3.9 % change on previous year in 1966 and was at its lowest, 0.5569 % change on previous year, in 2005.
Kenya ranks 36th of 208 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Rural population, annual growth rate in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.57 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 3.68 % change on previous year | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 3.75 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 3.83 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 3.9 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 3.9 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 3.86 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1968 | 3.82 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 3.74 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 3.56 % change on previous year | -4.9% |
| 1971 | 3.17 % change on previous year | -10.8% |
| 1972 | 2.89 % change on previous year | -9.0% |
| 1973 | 2.77 % change on previous year | -4.1% |
| 1974 | 2.64 % change on previous year | -4.6% |
| 1975 | 2.55 % change on previous year | -3.4% |
| 1976 | 2.49 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 2.62 % change on previous year | +5.1% |
| 1978 | 2.83 % change on previous year | +8.3% |
| 1979 | 2.99 % change on previous year | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 3.18 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 1981 | 3.23 % change on previous year | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 3.26 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 3.36 % change on previous year | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 3.41 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 3.4 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 3.36 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 3.33 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 3.36 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 3.37 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 3.34 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 3.16 % change on previous year | -5.2% |
| 1992 | 3.01 % change on previous year | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 2.93 % change on previous year | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 2.86 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 2.79 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 2.69 % change on previous year | -3.6% |
| 1997 | 2.65 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 2.64 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 2.74 % change on previous year | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 2.52 % change on previous year | -8.1% |
| 2001 | 1.92 % change on previous year | -23.6% |
| 2002 | 1.36 % change on previous year | -29.3% |
| 2003 | 0.8824 % change on previous year | -35.0% |
| 2004 | 0.6558 % change on previous year | -25.7% |
| 2005 | 0.5569 % change on previous year | -15.1% |
| 2006 | 0.6637 % change on previous year | +19.2% |
| 2007 | 0.9894 % change on previous year | +49.1% |
| 2008 | 1.58 % change on previous year | +60.0% |
| 2009 | 2.41 % change on previous year | +52.2% |
| 2010 | 2.93 % change on previous year | +21.5% |
| 2011 | 2.79 % change on previous year | -4.6% |
| 2012 | 2.66 % change on previous year | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 2.54 % change on previous year | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 2.43 % change on previous year | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 2.34 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 2.36 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 2.37 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 2.27 % change on previous year | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 2.29 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 1.96 % change on previous year | -14.5% |
| 2021 | 1.8 % change on previous year | -8.1% |
| 2022 | 1.73 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 1.7 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 1.59 % change on previous year | -6.7% |
| 2025 | 1.47 % change on previous year | -7.3% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 1.47 % change on previous year is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.8714 % change on previous year, 1.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 1.47 % change on previous year is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.21 % change on previous year, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population, annual growth rate in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +60.0% | 0.9894 % change on previous year | 1.58 % change on previous year |
| 2009 | +52.2% | 1.58 % change on previous year | 2.41 % change on previous year |
| 2007 | +49.1% | 0.6637 % change on previous year | 0.9894 % change on previous year |
| 2003 | -35.0% | 1.36 % change on previous year | 0.8824 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.78 % change on previous year | 3.57 % change on previous year | 3.9 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.85 % change on previous year | 2.49 % change on previous year | 3.56 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.32 % change on previous year | 3.18 % change on previous year | 3.41 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.88 % change on previous year | 2.64 % change on previous year | 3.34 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.35 % change on previous year | 0.5569 % change on previous year | 2.52 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5 % change on previous year | 2.27 % change on previous year | 2.93 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.71 % change on previous year | 1.47 % change on previous year | 1.96 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 33 Mozambique 1.63 % change on previous year compare
- 34 Turkmenistan 1.63 % change on previous year compare
- 35 Guinea 1.6 % change on previous year compare
- 37 Liechtenstein 1.45 % change on previous year compare
- 38 Solomon Islands 1.42 % change on previous year compare
- 39 Armenia 1.4 % change on previous year compare
More agriculture & rural data for Kenya
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 16.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2316 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 547.24 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6779 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 12.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
- Rural population 67.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, annual growth rate in Kenya?
- Rural population, annual growth rate in Kenya was 1.47 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 3.9 % change on previous year in 1966.
- What is the lowest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5569 % change on previous year in 2005.
- How does Kenya rank for rural population, annual growth rate?
- Kenya ranks 36th out of 208 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.