Employment rate in Kenya
Kenya: Employment rate was 63.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
63.7%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
44th
of 186 countries
All-time high
72.4%
in 2016
All-time low
63.3%
in 2020
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Employment rate in Kenya, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment rate in Kenya is 63.7%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Kenya peaked at 72.4% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 63.3%, in 2020.
That places Kenya 44th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment rate in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 70.9% | — |
| 1992 | 70.8% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 70.6% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 70.6% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 70.6% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 70.6% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 70.5% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 70.4% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 70.3% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 70.4% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 70.5% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 70.6% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 70.8% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 70.9% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 71.1% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 71.3% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 71.4% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 71.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 71.5% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 71.6% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 71.8% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 72.0% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 72.0% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 72.1% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 72.2% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 72.4% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 69.7% | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 67.1% | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 64.4% | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 63.3% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 63.6% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 63.7% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 63.8% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 63.7% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 63.7% | -0.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 63.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 54.4%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 63.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.8%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 70.6% | 70.3% | 70.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 71.0% | 70.4% | 71.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.5% | 64.4% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.7% | 63.3% | 63.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More work & labour data for Kenya
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0278 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0073 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2281 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.98 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 44,185 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 51,282 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 53,727 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 50,468 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 104,196 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Kenya?
- Employment rate in Kenya was 63.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 72.4% in 2016.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.3% in 2020.
- How does Kenya rank for employment rate?
- Kenya ranks 44th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.