Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Kenya
Kenya: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 5.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Kenya, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Kenya is 5.4%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 97.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Kenya peaked at 5.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2007.
That places Kenya 87th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.8% | — |
| 1992 | 2.9% | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 3.0% | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 3.0% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 2.8% | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 2.8% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 2.9% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 2.7% | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 2.6% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 2.7% | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 2.8% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 3.5% | +28.5% |
| 2018 | 4.3% | +20.9% |
| 2019 | 5.0% | +17.0% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | +11.9% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 5.4% | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 5.5% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 5.4% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.7% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More education data for Kenya
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.44 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.74 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 8.04 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.7181 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1453 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.04 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.7181 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Kenya?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Kenya was 5.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2007.
- How does Kenya rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Kenya ranks 87th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 97.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.