Infant mortality rate by sex in Kenya
Kenya: Infant mortality rate by sex was 3.04 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
3.04 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
37th
of 199 countries
All-time high
15.46 deaths per 100 live births
in 1953
All-time low
3.04 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
72
1953–2024
Infant mortality rate by sex in Kenya, 1953–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate by sex in Kenya is 3.04 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 72 years on record.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in Kenya peaked at 15.46 deaths per 100 live births in 1953 and was at its lowest, 3.04 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
Kenya ranks 37th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 72 years of available data.
Infant mortality rate by sex in Kenya, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 15.46 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1954 | 14.63 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1955 | 13.83 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1956 | 13.09 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1957 | 12.41 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1958 | 11.77 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1959 | 11.2 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1960 | 10.7 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1961 | 10.24 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1962 | 9.84 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1963 | 9.51 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1964 | 9.23 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1965 | 9.02 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1966 | 8.85 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1967 | 8.7 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 8.56 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1969 | 8.4 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1970 | 8.26 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1971 | 8.1 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 7.93 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 7.76 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 7.58 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 7.38 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1976 | 7.17 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1977 | 6.97 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 6.76 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 6.55 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1980 | 6.38 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1981 | 6.2 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 6.06 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 5.92 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 5.83 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 5.77 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 5.76 deaths per 100 live births | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 5.81 deaths per 100 live births | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 5.9 deaths per 100 live births | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 6.04 deaths per 100 live births | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 6.2 deaths per 100 live births | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 6.33 deaths per 100 live births | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 6.45 deaths per 100 live births | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 6.52 deaths per 100 live births | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 6.51 deaths per 100 live births | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 6.47 deaths per 100 live births | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 6.39 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 6.3 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 6.16 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 5.99 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 5.78 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 5.53 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 5.26 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 2003 | 4.99 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 2004 | 4.72 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 4.43 deaths per 100 live births | -6.1% |
| 2006 | 4.2 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 4.02 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 3.8 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 3.75 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 3.69 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 3.65 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 3.66 deaths per 100 live births | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 3.63 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 3.57 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 3.48 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 3.43 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 3.42 deaths per 100 live births | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 3.35 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 3.3 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 3.26 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 3.22 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 3.16 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 3.09 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 3.04 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 3.04 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.51 deaths per 100 live births, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 3.04 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.31 deaths per 100 live births, 92% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.2 deaths per 100 live births | 11.2 deaths per 100 live births | 15.46 deaths per 100 live births | 7 |
| 1960s | 9.3 deaths per 100 live births | 8.4 deaths per 100 live births | 10.7 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.45 deaths per 100 live births | 6.55 deaths per 100 live births | 8.26 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.97 deaths per 100 live births | 5.76 deaths per 100 live births | 6.38 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.33 deaths per 100 live births | 5.99 deaths per 100 live births | 6.52 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.65 deaths per 100 live births | 3.75 deaths per 100 live births | 5.78 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.52 deaths per 100 live births | 3.3 deaths per 100 live births | 3.69 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.16 deaths per 100 live births | 3.04 deaths per 100 live births | 3.26 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 34 Dominica 3.11 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 35 Zambia 3.1 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 36 East Timor 3.09 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 38 Yemen 3.03 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 39 Myanmar 2.92 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 40 Ethiopia 2.91 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)
- 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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.063 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate by sex in Kenya?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in Kenya was 3.04 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 15.46 deaths per 100 live births in 1953.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.04 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Kenya rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- Kenya ranks 37th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of female children aged under one year, per 100 live births .