Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya

Kenya: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 68.7% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
68.7%
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
46th
of 199 countries
All-time high
76.5%
in 2009
All-time low
63.3%
in 2005
Years of data
7
1989–2021

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya, 1989–2021

0204060801989200520211989: 761999: 72.42005: 63.32009: 76.52016: 74.42019: 67.82021: 68.7

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

Kenya recorded 68.7% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 10.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya peaked at 76.5% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 63.3%, in 2005.

Kenya ranks 46th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya, year by year

Annual values for Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate) in Kenya, 1989 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1989 76.0%
1999 72.4% -4.7%
2005 63.3% -12.6%
2009 76.5% +21.0%
2016 74.4% -2.8%
2019 67.8% -8.9%
2021 68.7% +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 76.0% 76.0% 76.0% 1
1990s 72.4% 72.4% 72.4% 1
2000s 69.9% 63.3% 76.5% 2
2010s 71.1% 67.8% 74.4% 2
2020s 68.7% 68.7% 68.7% 1

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 43 Saint Kitts and Nevis 68.8% compare
  2. 44 Kazakhstan 68.7% compare
  3. 44 Netherlands 68.7% compare
  4. 47 Gibraltar 68.4% compare
  5. 48 Ethiopia 68.3% compare
  6. 49 Burkina Faso 68.1% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More work & labour data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya?
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya was 68.7% in 2021, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 76.5% in 2009.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 63.3% in 2005.
How does Kenya rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
Kenya ranks 46th out of 199 countries with data for 2021.
Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Kenya. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-participation-rate-total-percent-of-total-population-ages-15-national-estimate/kenya/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
232 places, 5,713 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.