Kenya has a population density of 251.6 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Kenya has 110,878 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Kenya ranked 96th out of 197.
Kenya has 0.69% of the world's population and 0.39% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Kenya compared to the World's average
Kenya
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 251.6 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 96/197 | N/A |
| Population |
58419239
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 224,278 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 110,795 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 70% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 30% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 12% | 28.6% |
Kenya population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Kenya has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 59.3%. The population density rank was 113th 21 years ago and is 96th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 251.6 | 96 |
| 2023 | 246.7 | 96 |
| 2022 | 241.9 | 97 |
| 2021 | 237.3 | 97 |
| 2020 | 232.8 | 98 |
| 2019 | 229.1 | 98 |
| 2018 | 225.4 | 97 |
| 2017 | 221.6 | 97 |
| 2016 | 217.6 | 99 |
| 2015 | 213.6 | 100 |
| 2014 | 209.6 | 101 |
| 2013 | 204.7 | 102 |
| 2012 | 199.7 | 102 |
| 2011 | 194.6 | 105 |
| 2010 | 189.3 | 105 |
| 2009 | 183.9 | 107 |
| 2008 | 178.4 | 108 |
| 2007 | 173.1 | 109 |
| 2006 | 167.9 | 111 |
| 2005 | 162.9 | 112 |
| 2004 | 158 | 113 |
| 2003 | 153.1 | 112 |
| 2002 | 148.5 | 113 |
| 2001 | 143.9 | 114 |
| 2000 | 139.4 | 115 |
| 1999 | 135.3 | 113 |
| 1998 | 131.5 | 112 |
| 1997 | 127.9 | 113 |
| 1996 | 124.4 | 113 |
| 1995 | 121.1 | 113 |
| 1994 | 117.7 | 113 |
| 1993 | 114.3 | 112 |
| 1992 | 111 | 110 |
| 1991 | 107.6 | 98 |
| 1990 | 104.2 | 97 |
| 1989 | 100.7 | 97 |
| 1988 | 97.2 | 97 |
| 1987 | 93.8 | 97 |
| 1986 | 90.6 | 97 |
| 1985 | 87.4 | 97 |
| 1984 | 84.3 | 98 |
| 1983 | 81.2 | 98 |
| 1982 | 78.3 | 99 |
| 1981 | 75.5 | 99 |
| 1980 | 72.9 | 99 |
| 1979 | 70.4 | 99 |
| 1978 | 68 | 99 |
| 1977 | 65.7 | 99 |
| 1976 | 63.5 | 99 |
| 1975 | 61.5 | 98 |
| 1974 | 59.5 | 99 |
| 1973 | 57.5 | 99 |
| 1972 | 55.5 | 100 |
| 1971 | 53.6 | 103 |
| 1970 | 51.7 | 103 |
| 1969 | 49.8 | 104 |
| 1968 | 47.9 | 104 |
| 1967 | 46 | 104 |
| 1966 | 44.2 | 104 |
| 1965 | 42.5 | 104 |
| 1964 | 40.8 | 105 |
| 1963 | 39.3 | 106 |
| 1962 | 37.8 | 108 |
| 1961 | 36.3 | 109 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Kenya from 1960 to 2024: 7.36% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 19.9% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 30%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 30% | 172 |
| 2023 | 29.5% | 172 |
| 2022 | 29% | 172 |
| 2021 | 28.5% | 172 |
| 2020 | 28% | 172 |
| 2019 | 27.5% | 172 |
| 2018 | 27% | 173 |
| 2017 | 26.6% | 173 |
| 2016 | 26.1% | 174 |
| 2015 | 25.7% | 174 |
| 2014 | 25.2% | 174 |
| 2013 | 24.8% | 175 |
| 2012 | 24.4% | 176 |
| 2011 | 24% | 176 |
| 2010 | 23.6% | 177 |
| 2009 | 23.2% | 178 |
| 2008 | 22.8% | 178 |
| 2007 | 22.4% | 178 |
| 2006 | 22% | 179 |
| 2005 | 21.7% | 180 |
| 2004 | 21.3% | 181 |
| 2003 | 20.9% | 181 |
| 2002 | 20.6% | 181 |
| 2001 | 20.2% | 180 |
| 2000 | 19.9% | 180 |
| 1999 | 19.5% | 180 |
| 1998 | 19.2% | 180 |
| 1997 | 18.9% | 180 |
| 1996 | 18.6% | 179 |
| 1995 | 18.3% | 180 |
| 1994 | 18% | 180 |
| 1993 | 17.6% | 180 |
| 1992 | 17.3% | 180 |
| 1991 | 17% | 180 |
| 1990 | 16.7% | 180 |
| 1989 | 16.5% | 179 |
| 1988 | 16.4% | 179 |
| 1987 | 16.3% | 179 |
| 1986 | 16.2% | 179 |
| 1985 | 16.1% | 178 |
| 1984 | 16% | 178 |
| 1983 | 15.9% | 177 |
| 1982 | 15.8% | 175 |
| 1981 | 15.7% | 175 |
| 1980 | 15.6% | 174 |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 174 |
| 1978 | 14.7% | 173 |
| 1977 | 14.1% | 173 |
| 1976 | 13.5% | 175 |
| 1975 | 12.9% | 175 |
| 1974 | 12.3% | 176 |
| 1973 | 11.8% | 176 |
| 1972 | 11.3% | 176 |
| 1971 | 10.8% | 176 |
| 1970 | 10.3% | 175 |
| 1969 | 9.85% | 175 |
| 1968 | 9.53% | 175 |
| 1967 | 9.21% | 175 |
| 1966 | 8.9% | 175 |
| 1965 | 8.61% | 175 |
| 1964 | 8.32% | 175 |
| 1963 | 8.04% | 176 |
| 1962 | 7.77% | 176 |
| 1961 | 7.57% | 175 |
| 1960 | 7.36% | 175 |
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Kenya topic pages:
Population density comparisons
