Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Kenya
Kenya: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line was 39.8% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
39.8%
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
5th
of 73 countries
All-time high
57.2%
in 1992
All-time low
36.1%
in 2015
Years of data
8
1992–2022
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Kenya, 1992–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 39.8% for proportion of population living below the national poverty line in 2022.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Kenya peaked at 57.2% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 36.1%, in 2015.
That places Kenya 5th out of 73 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 57.2% | — |
| 1994 | 40.3% | -29.5% |
| 1997 | 52.3% | +29.8% |
| 2005 | 46.8% | -10.5% |
| 2015 | 36.1% | -22.9% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | +18.8% |
| 2021 | 38.6% | -10.0% |
| 2022 | 39.8% | +3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.9% | 40.3% | 57.2% | 3 |
| 2000s | 46.8% | 46.8% | 46.8% | 1 |
| 2010s | 36.1% | 36.1% | 36.1% | 1 |
| 2020s | 40.4% | 38.6% | 42.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 2 Malawi 50.7% compare
- 3 Guinea-Bissau 50.5% compare
- 4 Lesotho 49.7% compare
- 6 South Africa 37.9% compare
- 7 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 37.7% compare
- 8 Ethiopia 33.1% compare
- 8 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 33.1% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Kenya
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 3 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 3.21 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,758 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 18.96 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 16.07 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 16.1% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Kenya?
- Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Kenya was 39.8% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 57.2% in 1992.
- What is the lowest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.1% in 2015.
- How does Kenya rank for proportion of population living below the national poverty line?
- Kenya ranks 5th out of 73 countries with data for 2022.
- Is proportion of population living below the national poverty line rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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