Population and Demographics of Kenya
Population changed +1.98% in 2024 · median age 20 years
Compared with 2000, the 2024 population is 84.2% larger, showing the scale of the longer shift. Looking ahead, 83.59 million is projected for 2050 under the medium scenario, compared with 56.43 million in 2024.
Population Over Time in Kenya
The 2000 to 2024 record shows Kenya moving from 30.643M people to 56.433M, a 84.2% increase. Looking ahead, the medium projection points to 83.593M in 2050, 48.1% higher than the 2024 level. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
The broad age bands show a very young population structure in Kenya. Children under 15 make up 36.84% of the population, compared with 2.97% aged 65 or older, and 60.19% are 15 to 64. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
Kenya's 2024 population is 50.3% female and 49.7% male in the World Bank series. The split is close to even.
Female and male population share
Females made up 50.3% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.7% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Fertility is 3.2 in Kenya, while annual population change is +1.98% in 2024, with younger residents at 36.84% and older residents at 2.97% of the total.
Historical change in Kenya totals +84.2% between 2000 and 2024, and the UN medium projection subsequently changes the total +48.1% by 2050; separate component statistics would be needed to attribute the movement.
2024 estimate for Kenya. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Kenya vs. World
In the harmonized 2024 comparison, Kenya's annual population change is higher than the world rate, fertility is above the global level, and its population is younger than the world median-age profile.
| Indicator | Kenya | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +1.98% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 3.2 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 20 | 30.6 | 2024 |
All three comparison rows use 2024 values from the same harmonized country table. That table attributes its demographic series to UN World Population Prospects 2024, so no different-year values are mixed into this comparison.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 total is 56,432,944 people. Annual change in the same harmonized table is +1.98%.
The 2024 age structure is 36.84% under 15, 60.19% aged 15 to 64 and 2.97% aged 65 or older.
The World Bank 2024 sex-share series is 50.3% female and 49.7% male.
The 2050 medium projection is 83.593M, 48.1% above the 2024 estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Kenya?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Kenya is 56,432,944 people.
Is the population of Kenya growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Kenya's population is growing, with annual change of +1.98%.
What percentage of the population of Kenya is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 2.97% of Kenya's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Kenya in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Kenya's 2050 population at 83,593,239.
What is the fertility rate in Kenya?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Kenya is 3.2 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.