Death rate in Kenya
Kenya: Death rate was 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
7.21 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
123rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
30.49 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
7.13 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2017
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in Kenya, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people for death rate in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in Kenya peaked at 30.49 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 7.13 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2017.
That places Kenya 123rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in Kenya, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 30.49 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 28.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.7% |
| 1952 | 27.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1953 | 26.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.4% |
| 1954 | 25.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1955 | 24.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1956 | 23.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1957 | 21.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.1% |
| 1958 | 20.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1959 | 19.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1960 | 18.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1961 | 18.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 1962 | 17.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1963 | 16.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1964 | 16.19 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1965 | 15.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1966 | 15.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1967 | 14.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1968 | 14.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1969 | 13.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1970 | 13.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1971 | 13.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1972 | 12.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1973 | 12.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1974 | 11.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1975 | 11.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1976 | 11.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1977 | 10.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1978 | 10.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1979 | 10.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 9.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 9.48 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 9.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 9 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 8.83 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 8.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 8.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 8.7 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 8.81 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 8.92 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 9.46 deaths per 1,000 people | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 9.64 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 9.88 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 10.02 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 10.21 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 10.29 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 10.38 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 10.38 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 10.31 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 10.11 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 9.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 9.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 9.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 9.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 8.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 8.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 8.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 8.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 7.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 7.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 7.42 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 7.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 7.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 7.15 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 7.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 7.17 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 7.13 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 7.19 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 7.29 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 7.94 deaths per 1,000 people | +8.8% |
| 2021 | 8.12 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -11.2% |
| 2023 | 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.2 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 24.79 deaths per 1,000 people | 19.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 30.49 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.11 deaths per 1,000 people | 13.95 deaths per 1,000 people | 18.79 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.77 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.05 deaths per 1,000 people | 13.57 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.01 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.73 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.07 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.46 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.38 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.79 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.63 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.94 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.13 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.42 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.62 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
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)
- 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 death rate in Kenya?
- Death rate in Kenya was 7.21 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 30.49 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.13 deaths per 1,000 people in 2017.
- How does Kenya rank for death rate?
- Kenya ranks 123rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.