Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Kenya

Kenya: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 9.1% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
9.1%
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
94th
of 130 countries
All-time high
21.6%
in 1992
All-time low
8.7%
in 2021
Years of data
8
1992–2022

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Kenya, 1992–2022

051015201992200720221992: 21.61994: 17.61997: 16.12005: 16.92015: 13.92020: 10.32021: 8.72022: 9.1

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Kenya is 9.1%, measured in 2022.

The figure is up 4.6% on the previous year and down 34.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Kenya peaked at 21.6% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 2021.

That places Kenya 94th out of 130 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Kenya, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%) in Kenya, 1992 to 2022.
Year Value Change
1992 21.6%
1994 17.6% -18.5%
1997 16.1% -8.5%
2005 16.9% +5.0%
2015 13.9% -17.8%
2020 10.3% -25.9%
2021 8.7% -15.5%
2022 9.1% +4.6%

Kenya compared with similar countries

  • Kenya's 9.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.6%, 86% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Kenya's 9.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.1%, 82% of the median. (25 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 18.4% 16.1% 21.6% 3
2000s 16.9% 16.9% 16.9% 1
2010s 13.9% 13.9% 13.9% 1
2020s 9.4% 8.7% 10.3% 3

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 92 Mali 9.4% compare
  2. 92 Sri Lanka 9.4% compare
  3. 94 Guinea-Bissau 9.1% compare
  4. 96 Ethiopia 8.9% compare
  5. 97 Bhutan 8.8% compare
  6. 97 Poland 8.8% compare

See the full ranking of 131 places →

More infrastructure data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Kenya?
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Kenya was 9.1% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 21.6% in 1992.
What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 2021.
How does Kenya rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
Kenya ranks 94th out of 130 countries with data for 2022.
Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is down 34.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Kenya. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-people-living-below-50-percent-of-median-income-percent-2/kenya/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
131 places, 2,510 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed