Female headed households in Senegal

Senegal: Female headed households was 24.5% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
24.5%
Change on year
down 19.1%
World rank
21st
of 34 countries
All-time high
32.4%
in 2018
All-time low
15.8%
in 1993
Years of data
14
1993–2021

Female headed households in Senegal, 1993–2021

01020301993200720211993: 15.8 % of households with a female head1997: 18.4 % of households with a female head2005: 23.1 % of households with a female head2006: 21.7 % of households with a female head2009: 20 % of households with a female head2011: 24.8 % of households with a female head2013: 23.6 % of households with a female head2014: 29.4 % of households with a female head2015: 30.4 % of households with a female head2016: 30.6 % of households with a female head2017: 30.3 % of households with a female head2018: 32.4 % of households with a female head2019: 30.3 % of households with a female head2021: 24.5 % of households with a female head

Source: DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. Measured in % of households with a female head.

Analysis

In 2021, female headed households in Senegal stood at 24.5%.

The figure is down 19.1% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female headed households in Senegal peaked at 32.4% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 15.8%, in 1993.

Senegal ranks 21st of 34 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Female headed households in Senegal, year by year

Annual values for Female headed households (% of households with a female head) in Senegal, 1993 to 2021.
Year % of households with a female head Change
1993 15.8%
1997 18.4% +16.5%
2005 23.1% +25.5%
2006 21.7% -6.1%
2009 20.0% -7.8%
2011 24.8% +24.0%
2013 23.6% -4.8%
2014 29.4% +24.6%
2015 30.4% +3.4%
2016 30.6% +0.7%
2017 30.3% -1.0%
2018 32.4% +6.9%
2019 30.3% -6.5%
2021 24.5% -19.1%

Senegal compared with similar countries

  • Senegal's 24.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 26.0%, 94% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
  • Senegal's 24.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.6%, 96% of the median. (21 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 17.1% 15.8% 18.4% 2
2000s 21.6% 20.0% 23.1% 3
2010s 29.0% 23.6% 32.4% 8
2020s 24.5% 24.5% 24.5% 1

Countries ranked near Senegal

  1. 18 Malawi 25.6% compare
  2. 19 Benin 24.9% compare
  3. 20 Madagascar 24.7% compare
  4. 22 Ethiopia 22.1% compare
  5. 23 Côte d'Ivoire 19.4% compare
  6. 24 India 17.5% compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More health data for Senegal

All data for Senegal →

Frequently asked questions

What is female headed households in Senegal?
Female headed households in Senegal was 24.5% in 2021, according to DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program.
What is the highest female headed households recorded in Senegal?
The highest recorded value was 32.4% in 2018.
What is the lowest female headed households recorded in Senegal?
The lowest recorded value was 15.8% in 1993.
How does Senegal rank for female headed households?
Senegal ranks 21st out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
Is female headed households rising or falling in Senegal?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Senegal data come from?
The figures come from DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program, published as part of Female headed households (% of households with a female head). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Female headed households in Senegal. Statizoid, drawing on DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/female-headed-households-percent-of-households-with-a-female-head/senegal/

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About this data

Indicator
Female headed households (% of households with a female head)
Unit
% of households with a female head
Source
DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
34 places, 236 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

Female headed households refers to the percentage of households that are headed by females.