Child mortality rate in Kenya
Kenya: Child mortality rate was 3.88 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
3.88 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
43rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
31.98 deaths per 100 live births
in 1950
All-time low
3.88 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Child mortality rate in Kenya, 1950–2024
Source: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, child mortality rate in Kenya stood at 3.88 deaths per 100 live births. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Kenya peaked at 31.98 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 3.88 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places Kenya 43rd out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Child mortality rate in Kenya, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 31.98 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 30.54 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1952 | 30.02 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1953 | 28.36 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1954 | 26.79 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1955 | 25.35 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1956 | 24 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1957 | 22.78 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1958 | 21.66 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1959 | 20.64 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1960 | 19.72 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1961 | 18.91 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1962 | 18.2 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1963 | 17.58 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1964 | 17.07 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1965 | 16.66 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1966 | 16.32 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 16 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1968 | 15.68 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1969 | 15.36 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 15.02 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 14.68 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1972 | 14.32 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 13.93 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 13.52 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1975 | 13.1 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1976 | 12.66 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1977 | 12.22 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1978 | 11.78 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1979 | 11.35 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1980 | 10.97 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 10.6 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 10.27 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 9.98 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 9.75 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 9.59 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 9.51 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 9.52 deaths per 100 live births | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 9.64 deaths per 100 live births | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 9.86 deaths per 100 live births | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 10.14 deaths per 100 live births | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 10.44 deaths per 100 live births | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 10.71 deaths per 100 live births | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 10.9 deaths per 100 live births | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 10.97 deaths per 100 live births | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 10.93 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 10.8 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 10.59 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 10.3 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1999 | 9.95 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 9.52 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2001 | 9.05 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 8.56 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 8.08 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 2004 | 7.61 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 7.12 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 2006 | 6.68 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 6.29 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2008 | 5.8 deaths per 100 live births | -7.8% |
| 2009 | 5.52 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 5.31 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 5.17 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 5.07 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 4.94 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 4.83 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 4.68 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 4.55 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 4.47 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 4.37 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 4.27 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 4.21 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 4.13 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 4.05 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 3.96 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 3.88 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 3.88 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.69 deaths per 100 live births, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 3.88 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.89 deaths per 100 live births, 79% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 26.21 deaths per 100 live births | 20.64 deaths per 100 live births | 31.98 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 17.15 deaths per 100 live births | 15.36 deaths per 100 live births | 19.72 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.26 deaths per 100 live births | 11.35 deaths per 100 live births | 15.02 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.97 deaths per 100 live births | 9.51 deaths per 100 live births | 10.97 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.57 deaths per 100 live births | 9.95 deaths per 100 live births | 10.97 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.42 deaths per 100 live births | 5.52 deaths per 100 live births | 9.52 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.77 deaths per 100 live births | 4.27 deaths per 100 live births | 5.31 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.05 deaths per 100 live births | 3.88 deaths per 100 live births | 4.21 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 40 Congo 3.91 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 41 Comoros 3.9 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 41 Turkmenistan 3.9 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 44 Yemen 3.81 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 45 Palestine 3.79 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 46 Rwanda 3.77 deaths per 100 live births compare
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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,119 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in Kenya?
- Child mortality rate in Kenya was 3.88 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 31.98 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.88 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Kenya rank for child mortality rate?
- Kenya ranks 43rd out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Long-run estimated share of newborns who die before reaching the age of five.