Kenya Demographics: Median age, Gender, Race, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Kenya vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Kenya	World
1960	15.7	22.5
1961	15.5	22.5
1962	15.3	22.4
1963	15.2	22.2
1964	15.1	22
1965	14.9	21.8
1966	14.8	21.7
1967	14.6	21.6
1968	14.5	21.5
1969	14.5	21.5
1970	14.4	21.4
1971	14.4	21.4
1972	14.3	21.5
1973	14.3	21.5
1974	14.3	21.6
1975	14.3	21.7
1976	14.3	21.9
1977	14.3	22
1978	14.3	22.2
1979	14.4	22.3
1980	14.5	22.5
1981	14.5	22.6
1982	14.6	22.7
1983	14.7	22.9
1984	14.8	23
1985	14.9	23.2
1986	15	23.3
1987	15	23.4
1988	15.1	23.6
1989	15.2	23.8
1990	15.3	23.9
1991	15.5	24.1
1992	15.6	24.3
1993	15.7	24.5
1994	15.9	24.7
1995	16	25
1996	16.1	25.2
1997	16.2	25.4
1998	16.4	25.7
1999	16.5	25.9
2000	16.7	26.1
2001	16.8	26.3
2002	17	26.5
2003	17.1	26.7
2004	17.3	27
2005	17.4	27.2
2006	17.5	27.4
2007	17.6	27.6
2008	17.7	27.8
2009	17.8	28
2010	17.9	28.2
2011	18.1	28.4
2012	18.2	28.6
2013	18.4	28.9
2014	18.5	29.1
2015	18.7	29.3
2016	18.9	29.5
2017	19.1	29.8
2018	19.3	30
2019	19.6	30.3
2020	19.8	30.6
2021	20	30.8
2022	20.3	31
2023	20.6	31.3
2024	20.8	31.6
2025	21	31.9
2026	21.3	32.1
2027	21.6	32.3
2028	21.8	32.6
2029	22.1	32.8
2030	22.4	33
2031	22.7	33.2
2032	22.9	33.4
2033	23.2	33.6
2034	23.5	33.8
2035	23.8	34
2036	24	34.2
2037	24.3	34.4
2038	24.5	34.6
2039	24.7	34.8
2040	25	35
2041	25.2	35.2
2042	25.4	35.4
2043	25.7	35.6
2044	25.9	35.8
2045	26.1	36
2046	26.3	36.2
2047	26.6	36.4
2048	26.8	36.6
2049	27	36.8
2050	27.3	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Kenya was 15.7 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 20.8 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 190th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Kenya ranks 159th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Kenya is expected to increase to around 27.3 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Kenya demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Kenya
	Male	Female
0-4	6.35%	6.25%
5-9	6.09%	6%
10-14	6.11%	6.03%
15-19	5.76%	5.76%
20-24	4.87%	5.01%
25-29	4.03%	4.25%
30-34	3.56%	3.68%
35-39	3.21%	3.16%
40-44	2.63%	2.54%
45-49	2.08%	2.03%
50-54	1.63%	1.64%
55-59	1.25%	1.29%
60-64	0.88%	0.97%
65-69	0.56%	0.66%
70-74	0.34%	0.42%
75-79	0.22%	0.27%
80+	0.17%	0.32%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Kenya has average demographic potential with 73.7% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 33/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Kenya			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	108%	101.3%	6.66%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	108.8%	102.5%	6.36%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	109.6%	103.5%	6.09%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	110.3%	104.4%	5.86%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	110.7%	105%	5.65%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	111.6%	106.1%	5.47%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	113.2%	107.8%	5.33%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	114.4%	109.2%	5.21%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	115.3%	110.2%	5.09%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	116%	111%	4.97%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	116.5%	111.6%	4.86%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	117%	112.3%	4.76%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	117.6%	112.9%	4.68%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	117.8%	113.2%	4.61%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	117.9%	113.4%	4.56%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	118%	113.4%	4.53%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	118%	113.5%	4.5%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	117.7%	113.3%	4.48%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	117.1%	112.7%	4.48%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	116.4%	111.9%	4.47%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	115.5%	111%	4.46%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	114.5%	110%	4.45%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	113.5%	109.1%	4.44%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	112.4%	108%	4.44%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	111.3%	106.9%	4.44%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	110.3%	105.8%	4.44%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	109.4%	104.9%	4.44%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	108.5%	104.1%	4.45%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	107.7%	103.2%	4.45%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	106.7%	102.2%	4.44%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	105.6%	101.1%	4.43%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	104.5%	100.1%	4.42%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	103.4%	99%	4.4%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	102.2%	97.8%	4.39%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	100.9%	96.5%	4.39%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	99.7%	95.3%	4.38%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	98.5%	94.1%	4.38%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	97.3%	93%	4.37%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	96.2%	91.8%	4.36%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	94.9%	90.5%	4.34%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	93.4%	89.1%	4.31%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	91.9%	87.7%	4.27%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	90.5%	86.3%	4.22%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	89.3%	85.1%	4.17%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	88.1%	83.9%	4.11%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	87%	83%	4.05%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	86.2%	82.2%	4%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	85.6%	81.7%	3.95%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	85.1%	81.2%	3.9%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	84.7%	80.8%	3.85%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	84.2%	80.4%	3.85%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	83.7%	79.8%	3.92%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	83%	79%	4%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	82.1%	78%	4.11%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	81.1%	76.9%	4.25%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	80%	75.6%	4.4%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	78.6%	74.2%	4.46%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	77.2%	72.7%	4.5%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	75.7%	71.1%	4.65%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	74.3%	69.5%	4.79%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	72.6%	67.8%	4.82%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	71%	66.1%	4.82%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	69.3%	64.5%	4.85%	54%	39%	15%
2023	67.7%	62.8%	4.88%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	66.1%	61.2%	4.93%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Kenya decreased from 88.1% to 66.1% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Kenya working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Kenya	World
1960	48.1%	57.6%
1961	47.9%	57.5%
1962	47.7%	57.4%
1963	47.6%	57.2%
1964	47.5%	57%
1965	47.3%	56.9%
1966	46.9%	56.8%
1967	46.6%	56.9%
1968	46.4%	56.9%
1969	46.3%	56.9%
1970	46.2%	57%
1971	46.1%	57.1%
1972	46%	57.2%
1973	45.9%	57.3%
1974	45.9%	57.3%
1975	45.9%	57.4%
1976	45.9%	57.5%
1977	45.9%	57.7%
1978	46.1%	58%
1979	46.2%	58.4%
1980	46.4%	58.7%
1981	46.6%	59%
1982	46.8%	59.3%
1983	47.1%	59.6%
1984	47.3%	59.9%
1985	47.6%	60.1%
1986	47.8%	60.4%
1987	48%	60.5%
1988	48.2%	60.7%
1989	48.4%	60.8%
1990	48.6%	60.9%
1991	48.9%	61%
1992	49.2%	61.1%
1993	49.5%	61.2%
1994	49.8%	61.3%
1995	50.1%	61.5%
1996	50.4%	61.7%
1997	50.7%	61.9%
1998	51%	62.2%
1999	51.3%	62.5%
2000	51.7%	62.8%
2001	52.1%	63.1%
2002	52.5%	63.4%
2003	52.8%	63.7%
2004	53.2%	64%
2005	53.5%	64.3%
2006	53.7%	64.5%
2007	53.9%	64.7%
2008	54%	64.9%
2009	54.2%	65%
2010	54.3%	65.1%
2011	54.4%	65.2%
2012	54.6%	65.2%
2013	54.9%	65.2%
2014	55.2%	65.2%
2015	55.6%	65.1%
2016	56%	65.1%
2017	56.4%	65%
2018	56.9%	64.9%
2019	57.4%	64.9%
2020	57.9%	64.8%
2021	58.5%	64.9%
2022	59.1%	64.9%
2023	59.6%	65%
2024	60.2%	65.1%
2025	60.7%	65.2%
2026	61.2%	65.3%
2027	61.6%	65.4%
2028	61.9%	65.4%
2029	62.2%	65.4%
2030	62.4%	65.4%
2031	62.6%	65.4%
2032	62.8%	65.4%
2033	62.9%	65.4%
2034	63.1%	65.3%
2035	63.2%	65.2%
2036	63.3%	65%
2037	63.5%	64.9%
2038	63.6%	64.7%
2039	63.8%	64.6%
2040	64%	64.5%
2041	64.2%	64.4%
2042	64.4%	64.3%
2043	64.6%	64.2%
2044	64.8%	64.1%
2045	65%	63.9%
2046	65.2%	63.8%
2047	65.5%	63.7%
2048	65.7%	63.6%
2049	65.9%	63.4%
2050	66.1%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Kenya changed from 53.2% to 60.2% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Kenya	World
1960	48.7%	37.4%
1961	49.1%	37.5%
1962	49.4%	37.6%
1963	49.7%	37.8%
1964	49.8%	38%
1965	50.2%	38%
1966	50.6%	38%
1967	50.9%	38%
1968	51.2%	37.9%
1969	51.4%	37.8%
1970	51.6%	37.7%
1971	51.7%	37.6%
1972	51.9%	37.5%
1973	52%	37.3%
1974	52%	37.2%
1975	52%	37.1%
1976	52.1%	36.9%
1977	52%	36.7%
1978	51.9%	36.3%
1979	51.7%	35.9%
1980	51.5%	35.5%
1981	51.3%	35.2%
1982	51.1%	34.9%
1983	50.8%	34.6%
1984	50.6%	34.3%
1985	50.3%	34%
1986	50.1%	33.8%
1987	49.9%	33.6%
1988	49.7%	33.4%
1989	49.5%	33.2%
1990	49.2%	33%
1991	48.9%	32.9%
1992	48.7%	32.7%
1993	48.4%	32.5%
1994	48%	32.3%
1995	47.7%	32.1%
1996	47.4%	31.8%
1997	47.1%	31.5%
1998	46.8%	31.1%
1999	46.5%	30.8%
2000	46.1%	30.4%
2001	45.7%	30%
2002	45.3%	29.6%
2003	45%	29.2%
2004	44.6%	28.8%
2005	44.4%	28.5%
2006	44.2%	28.1%
2007	44%	27.9%
2008	43.9%	27.6%
2009	43.8%	27.5%
2010	43.6%	27.3%
2011	43.4%	27.1%
2012	43.2%	27%
2013	42.8%	26.9%
2014	42.4%	26.8%
2015	42%	26.6%
2016	41.5%	26.5%
2017	41%	26.4%
2018	40.5%	26.2%
2019	39.9%	26%
2020	39.3%	25.8%
2021	38.7%	25.6%
2022	38.1%	25.3%
2023	37.4%	25%
2024	36.8%	24.7%
2025	36.3%	24.4%
2026	35.7%	24.1%
2027	35.3%	23.8%
2028	34.9%	23.4%
2029	34.5%	23.1%
2030	34.2%	22.8%
2031	33.9%	22.6%
2032	33.6%	22.3%
2033	33.4%	22.1%
2034	33.2%	21.9%
2035	32.9%	21.7%
2036	32.7%	21.6%
2037	32.5%	21.5%
2038	32.2%	21.4%
2039	32%	21.3%
2040	31.7%	21.2%
2041	31.4%	21.1%
2042	31%	21%
2043	30.7%	21%
2044	30.4%	20.9%
2045	30%	20.8%
2046	29.7%	20.7%
2047	29.3%	20.7%
2048	28.9%	20.6%
2049	28.5%	20.5%
2050	28.2%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Kenya decreased from 44.6% to 36.8% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Kenya	World
1960	3.2%	4.97%
1961	3.04%	4.99%
1962	2.9%	5.01%
1963	2.79%	5.02%
1964	2.68%	5.04%
1965	2.59%	5.08%
1966	2.5%	5.12%
1967	2.43%	5.16%
1968	2.36%	5.2%
1969	2.3%	5.24%
1970	2.25%	5.28%
1971	2.19%	5.32%
1972	2.15%	5.37%
1973	2.12%	5.42%
1974	2.09%	5.47%
1975	2.08%	5.53%
1976	2.06%	5.59%
1977	2.06%	5.65%
1978	2.06%	5.71%
1979	2.07%	5.77%
1980	2.07%	5.81%
1981	2.07%	5.81%
1982	2.08%	5.8%
1983	2.09%	5.79%
1984	2.1%	5.8%
1985	2.11%	5.82%
1986	2.12%	5.86%
1987	2.13%	5.91%
1988	2.14%	5.95%
1989	2.15%	6.01%
1990	2.16%	6.07%
1991	2.16%	6.14%
1992	2.16%	6.21%
1993	2.17%	6.29%
1994	2.18%	6.37%
1995	2.2%	6.45%
1996	2.21%	6.53%
1997	2.21%	6.61%
1998	2.22%	6.68%
1999	2.23%	6.76%
2000	2.23%	6.84%
2001	2.22%	6.92%
2002	2.22%	7.01%
2003	2.2%	7.1%
2004	2.19%	7.18%
2005	2.17%	7.26%
2006	2.15%	7.34%
2007	2.13%	7.41%
2008	2.11%	7.47%
2009	2.09%	7.52%
2010	2.09%	7.58%
2011	2.13%	7.66%
2012	2.19%	7.78%
2013	2.25%	7.92%
2014	2.35%	8.08%
2015	2.44%	8.26%
2016	2.5%	8.45%
2017	2.54%	8.65%
2018	2.64%	8.88%
2019	2.75%	9.1%
2020	2.79%	9.33%
2021	2.82%	9.53%
2022	2.86%	9.74%
2023	2.91%	9.98%
2024	2.97%	10.2%
2025	3.02%	10.4%
2026	3.08%	10.6%
2027	3.15%	10.8%
2028	3.23%	11.1%
2029	3.31%	11.5%
2030	3.4%	11.7%
2031	3.49%	12%
2032	3.58%	12.3%
2033	3.67%	12.6%
2034	3.76%	12.8%
2035	3.86%	13.1%
2036	3.96%	13.4%
2037	4.06%	13.7%
2038	4.16%	13.9%
2039	4.27%	14.1%
2040	4.37%	14.3%
2041	4.48%	14.5%
2042	4.59%	14.7%
2043	4.71%	14.9%
2044	4.84%	15%
2045	4.96%	15.2%
2046	5.1%	15.4%
2047	5.24%	15.7%
2048	5.39%	15.9%
2049	5.54%	16.1%
2050	5.71%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Kenya increased from 2.19% to 2.97% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.