Drinking water usage in urban areas in Kenya
Kenya: Drinking water usage in urban areas was 867,884 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Drinking water usage in urban areas in Kenya, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for drinking water usage in urban areas in Kenya is 867,884 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 5.3% on the previous year and up 69.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water usage in urban areas in Kenya peaked at 867,884 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 207,370 people, in 2000.
Kenya ranks 2nd of 188 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Drinking water usage in urban areas in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 207,370 people | — |
| 2001 | 222,285 people | +7.2% |
| 2002 | 238,183 people | +7.2% |
| 2003 | 254,946 people | +7.0% |
| 2004 | 272,819 people | +7.0% |
| 2005 | 291,697 people | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 311,672 people | +6.8% |
| 2007 | 332,797 people | +6.8% |
| 2008 | 355,239 people | +6.7% |
| 2009 | 378,983 people | +6.7% |
| 2010 | 403,681 people | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 429,271 people | +6.3% |
| 2012 | 455,744 people | +6.2% |
| 2013 | 483,137 people | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 511,393 people | +5.8% |
| 2015 | 540,608 people | +5.7% |
| 2016 | 571,290 people | +5.7% |
| 2017 | 603,410 people | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 636,343 people | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 670,485 people | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 706,352 people | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 743,552 people | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 782,779 people | +5.3% |
| 2023 | 824,398 people | +5.3% |
| 2024 | 867,884 people | +5.3% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 867,884 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6,494 people, 133.6× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 867,884 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10,146 people, 85.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 286,599 people | 207,370 people | 378,983 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 530,536 people | 403,681 people | 670,485 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 784,993 people | 706,352 people | 867,884 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More environment data for Kenya
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -8.08 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.27 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.12 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 2.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water usage in urban areas in Kenya?
- Drinking water usage in urban areas in Kenya was 867,884 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest drinking water usage in urban areas recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 867,884 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest drinking water usage in urban areas recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 207,370 people in 2000.
- How does Kenya rank for drinking water usage in urban areas?
- Kenya ranks 2nd out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water usage in urban areas rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 69.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Drinking water usage in urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people using drinking water directly collected from surface waters.