Unemployment rate in Kenya
Kenya: Unemployment rate was 5.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Kenya, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Kenya stood at 5.4%.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 97.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Kenya peaked at 5.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2007.
Kenya ranks 86th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.7% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More work & labour data for Kenya
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 67.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 63.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 68.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 72.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 63.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Kenya?
- Unemployment rate in Kenya was 5.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2007.
- How does Kenya rank for unemployment rate?
- Kenya ranks 86th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 97.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Unemployment 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 labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.