Sex ratio by age in Kenya
Kenya: Sex ratio by age was 38.58 males per 100 females in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
38.58 males per 100 females
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
40th
of 212 countries
All-time high
87.8 males per 100 females
in 1950
All-time low
14.29 males per 100 females
in 1990
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Sex ratio by age in Kenya, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in males per 100 females.
Analysis
In 2023, sex ratio by age in Kenya stood at 38.58 males per 100 females.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex ratio by age in Kenya peaked at 87.8 males per 100 females in 1950 and was at its lowest, 14.29 males per 100 females, in 1990.
Kenya ranks 40th of 212 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Sex ratio by age in Kenya, year by year
| Year | males per 100 females | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 87.8 males per 100 females | — |
| 1951 | 87.8 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 85.37 males per 100 females | -2.8% |
| 1953 | 84.62 males per 100 females | -0.9% |
| 1954 | 78.95 males per 100 females | -6.7% |
| 1955 | 77.78 males per 100 females | -1.5% |
| 1956 | 76.47 males per 100 females | -1.7% |
| 1957 | 69.7 males per 100 females | -8.9% |
| 1958 | 67.74 males per 100 females | -2.8% |
| 1959 | 65.52 males per 100 females | -3.3% |
| 1960 | 71.43 males per 100 females | +9.0% |
| 1961 | 72.41 males per 100 females | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 74.19 males per 100 females | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 78.12 males per 100 females | +5.3% |
| 1964 | 76.47 males per 100 females | -2.1% |
| 1965 | 75 males per 100 females | -1.9% |
| 1966 | 72.97 males per 100 females | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 72.97 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 72.97 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 72.22 males per 100 females | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 71.43 males per 100 females | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 63.33 males per 100 females | -11.3% |
| 1972 | 56.52 males per 100 females | -10.8% |
| 1973 | 50 males per 100 females | -11.5% |
| 1974 | 46.15 males per 100 females | -7.7% |
| 1975 | 62.5 males per 100 females | +35.4% |
| 1976 | 57.14 males per 100 females | -8.6% |
| 1977 | 75 males per 100 females | +31.2% |
| 1978 | 66.67 males per 100 females | -11.1% |
| 1979 | 25 males per 100 females | -62.5% |
| 1980 | 33.33 males per 100 females | +33.3% |
| 1981 | 33.33 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 25 males per 100 females | -25.0% |
| 1983 | 25 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 25 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 40 males per 100 females | +60.0% |
| 1986 | 40 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 40 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 40 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 20 males per 100 females | -50.0% |
| 1990 | 14.29 males per 100 females | -28.6% |
| 1991 | 25 males per 100 females | +75.0% |
| 1992 | 33.33 males per 100 females | +33.3% |
| 1993 | 22.22 males per 100 females | -33.3% |
| 1994 | 42.86 males per 100 females | +92.9% |
| 1995 | 42.86 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 50 males per 100 females | +16.7% |
| 1997 | 42.86 males per 100 females | -14.3% |
| 1998 | 28.57 males per 100 females | -33.3% |
| 1999 | 28.57 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 15.38 males per 100 females | -46.2% |
| 2001 | 32 males per 100 females | +108.0% |
| 2002 | 43.9 males per 100 females | +37.2% |
| 2003 | 49.09 males per 100 females | +11.8% |
| 2004 | 53.73 males per 100 females | +9.5% |
| 2005 | 57.89 males per 100 females | +7.7% |
| 2006 | 57.14 males per 100 females | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 54.95 males per 100 females | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 52.53 males per 100 females | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 52.29 males per 100 females | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 47.97 males per 100 females | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 43.46 males per 100 females | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 41.47 males per 100 females | -4.6% |
| 2013 | 40.65 males per 100 females | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 40.2 males per 100 females | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 39.88 males per 100 females | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 39.73 males per 100 females | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 39.59 males per 100 females | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 39.46 males per 100 females | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 39.31 males per 100 females | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 39.25 males per 100 females | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 39.11 males per 100 females | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 38.87 males per 100 females | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 38.58 males per 100 females | -0.7% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 38.58 males per 100 females is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.49 males per 100 females, 1.5× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 38.58 males per 100 females is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.72 males per 100 females, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sex ratio by age in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +108.0% | 15.38 males per 100 females | 32 males per 100 females |
| 1994 | +92.9% | 22.22 males per 100 females | 42.86 males per 100 females |
| 1991 | +75.0% | 14.29 males per 100 females | 25 males per 100 females |
| 1979 | -62.5% | 66.67 males per 100 females | 25 males per 100 females |
| 1985 | +60.0% | 25 males per 100 females | 40 males per 100 females |
| 1989 | -50.0% | 40 males per 100 females | 20 males per 100 females |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 78.17 males per 100 females | 65.52 males per 100 females | 87.8 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1960s | 73.88 males per 100 females | 71.43 males per 100 females | 78.12 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1970s | 57.37 males per 100 females | 25 males per 100 females | 75 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.17 males per 100 females | 20 males per 100 females | 40 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.06 males per 100 females | 14.29 males per 100 females | 50 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.89 males per 100 females | 15.38 males per 100 females | 57.89 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.17 males per 100 females | 39.31 males per 100 females | 47.97 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.95 males per 100 females | 38.58 males per 100 females | 39.25 males per 100 females | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 37 Malaysia 40.32 males per 100 females compare
- 38 Congo 40 males per 100 females compare
- 39 Bulgaria 38.78 males per 100 females compare
- 41 New Zealand 38.3 males per 100 females compare
- 42 Martinique 37.91 males per 100 females compare
- 43 Sierra Leone 37.5 males per 100 females compare
More gender data for Kenya
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 21,579 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.8794 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 41,524 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 41,524 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.3 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 740,912 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 751,960 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 725,839 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 736,424 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 712,907 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex ratio by age in Kenya?
- Sex ratio by age in Kenya was 38.58 males per 100 females in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest sex ratio by age recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 87.8 males per 100 females in 1950.
- What is the lowest sex ratio by age recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.29 males per 100 females in 1990.
- How does Kenya rank for sex ratio by age?
- Kenya ranks 40th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex ratio by age rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Sex ratio by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of males per 100 females at age 100+.