Kenya Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Overview
Kenya's unemployment rate stood at 5.45% in 2025, a decline of +0.04pp from 2024. Kenya ranked 99th globally.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.45% | −0.04pp | #99 |
| 2024 | 5.49% | +0.08pp | #106 |
| 2023 | 5.41% | −0.16pp | #102 |
| 2022 | 5.57% | −0.13pp | #101 |
| 2021 | 5.69% | +0.08pp | #92 |
| 2020 | 5.61% | +0.60pp | #80 |
| 2019 | 5.01% | +0.73pp | #91 |
| 2018 | 4.28% | +0.74pp | #69 |
| 2017 | 3.54% | +0.79pp | #45 |
| 2016 | 2.76% | −0.00pp | #29 |
| 2015 | 2.76% | −0.00pp | #31 |
| 2014 | 2.77% | +0.00pp | #30 |
| 2013 | 2.76% | +0.08pp | #27 |
| 2012 | 2.68% | −0.02pp | #25 |
| 2011 | 2.70% | −0.09pp | #25 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Kenya matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2008. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Kenya's unemployment rate was 5.45% in 2025. Ranked 99th globally. This represents a 0.7% decrease from the previous year.
Kenya's unemployment rate peaked at 5.69% in 2021.
The lowest unemployment rate in Kenya was 2.64% in 2007.
Kenya ranks 99th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The unemployment rate of Kenya in 2025 was 5.45%. This ranks 99th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_kenya_unemployment-rate,
title = {Kenya Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/kenya/unemployment-rate},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}