Child mortality by sex in Kenya
Kenya: Child mortality by sex was 4.27 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
4.27
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
40th
of 199 countries
All-time high
29.35
in 1953
All-time low
4.27
in 2024
Years of data
72
1953–2024
Child mortality by sex in Kenya, 1953–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 4.27 for child mortality by sex in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 72 years on record.
The figure is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality by sex in Kenya peaked at 29.35 in 1953 and was at its lowest, 4.27, in 2024.
Kenya ranks 40th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Child mortality by sex in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 29.35 | — |
| 1954 | 27.72 | -5.5% |
| 1955 | 26.25 | -5.3% |
| 1956 | 24.88 | -5.2% |
| 1957 | 23.62 | -5.1% |
| 1958 | 22.48 | -4.8% |
| 1959 | 21.44 | -4.6% |
| 1960 | 20.51 | -4.3% |
| 1961 | 19.68 | -4.1% |
| 1962 | 18.94 | -3.7% |
| 1963 | 18.33 | -3.2% |
| 1964 | 17.81 | -2.8% |
| 1965 | 17.37 | -2.4% |
| 1966 | 17.02 | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 16.71 | -1.9% |
| 1968 | 16.37 | -2.0% |
| 1969 | 16.04 | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 15.68 | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 15.33 | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 14.95 | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 14.58 | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 14.16 | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 13.74 | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 13.29 | -3.2% |
| 1977 | 12.84 | -3.4% |
| 1978 | 12.39 | -3.5% |
| 1979 | 11.95 | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 11.56 | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 11.19 | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 10.85 | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 10.57 | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 10.33 | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 10.17 | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 10.09 | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 10.1 | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 10.23 | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 10.44 | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 10.73 | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 11.05 | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 11.33 | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 11.52 | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 11.6 | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 11.57 | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 11.44 | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 11.22 | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 10.93 | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 10.56 | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 10.14 | -4.0% |
| 2001 | 9.66 | -4.7% |
| 2002 | 9.16 | -5.2% |
| 2003 | 8.67 | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 8.17 | -5.7% |
| 2005 | 7.67 | -6.2% |
| 2006 | 7.22 | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 6.81 | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 6.3 | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 6.02 | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 5.8 | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 5.64 | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 5.55 | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 5.42 | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 5.29 | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 5.13 | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 4.99 | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 4.91 | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 4.8 | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 4.69 | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 4.63 | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 4.55 | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 4.46 | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 4.36 | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 4.27 | -2.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 4.27 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.05, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 4.27 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.38, 79% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 25.1 | 21.44 | 29.35 | 7 |
| 1960s | 17.88 | 16.04 | 20.51 | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.89 | 11.95 | 15.68 | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.55 | 10.09 | 11.56 | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.19 | 10.56 | 11.6 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.98 | 6.02 | 10.14 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.22 | 4.69 | 5.8 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.45 | 4.27 | 4.63 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More health data for Kenya
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6026 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 16,059 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 89 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0621 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.063 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality by sex in Kenya?
- Child mortality by sex in Kenya was 4.27 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality by sex recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 29.35 in 1953.
- What is the lowest child mortality by sex recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.27 in 2024.
- How does Kenya rank for child mortality by sex?
- Kenya ranks 40th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality by sex rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 72 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).