Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Kenya
Kenya: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 15.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Kenya, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Kenya is 15.2%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 108.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Kenya peaked at 15.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 6.2%, in 1991.
Kenya ranks 77th of 187 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.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.2% | — |
| 1992 | 6.5% | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 6.7% | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 6.5% | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 6.4% | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 6.5% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 6.6% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 6.7% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 6.8% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 6.8% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 6.9% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 6.8% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 6.8% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 6.7% | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 6.6% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 6.6% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 6.8% | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 7.0% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 7.0% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 6.9% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 6.9% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 7.2% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 7.3% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 7.3% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 7.3% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 9.1% | +24.1% |
| 2018 | 10.8% | +18.9% |
| 2019 | 12.5% | +16.0% |
| 2020 | 13.6% | +8.5% |
| 2021 | 12.2% | -10.2% |
| 2022 | 15.5% | +26.6% |
| 2023 | 15.2% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 15.5% | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 15.2% | -1.5% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 15.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.1%, 1.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 15.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.8%, 1.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +26.6% | 12.2% | 15.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.5% | 6.2% | 6.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.8% | 6.6% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 6.9% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.5% | 12.2% | 15.5% | 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 unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Kenya?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Kenya was 15.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 15.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.2% in 1991.
- How does Kenya rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Kenya ranks 77th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 108.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.