Labor force participation rate in Kenya
Kenya: Labor force participation rate was 67.39 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
67.39
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
42nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
74.41
in 2016
All-time low
67.08
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Kenya, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Kenya is 67.39, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Kenya peaked at 74.41 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 67.08, in 2020.
That places Kenya 42nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 73 | — |
| 1991 | 72.94 | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 72.88 | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 72.81 | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 72.74 | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 72.67 | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 72.6 | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 72.53 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 72.47 | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 72.39 | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 72.51 | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 72.63 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 72.75 | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 72.87 | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 72.99 | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 73.11 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 73.23 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 73.35 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 73.47 | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 73.59 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 73.7 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 73.82 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 73.94 | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 74.06 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 74.17 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 74.29 | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 74.41 | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 72.31 | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 70.1 | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 67.8 | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 67.08 | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 67.46 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 67.5 | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 67.46 | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 67.42 | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 67.39 | -0.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 67.39 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.67, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 67.39 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.31, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.7 | 72.39 | 73 | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.05 | 72.51 | 73.59 | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.86 | 67.8 | 74.41 | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.39 | 67.08 | 67.5 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 39 Congo 67.83 compare
- 40 Kazakhstan 67.77 compare
- 41 Zimbabwe 67.72 compare
- 43 Netherlands 67.25 compare
- 44 Cote d'Ivoire 67.09 compare
- 45 Mali 67.04 compare
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 labor force participation rate in Kenya?
- Labor force participation rate in Kenya was 67.39 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 74.41 in 2016.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.08 in 2020.
- How does Kenya rank for labor force participation rate?
- Kenya ranks 42nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).