Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Kenya
Kenya: Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas was 88.9% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural 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 %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Kenya is 88.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Kenya peaked at 88.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 85.4%, in 2000.
Kenya ranks 158th of 188 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 85.4% | — |
| 2001 | 85.5% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 85.7% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 85.8% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 86.0% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 86.1% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 86.3% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 86.4% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 86.6% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 86.7% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 86.8% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 87.0% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 87.1% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 87.3% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 87.4% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 87.6% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 87.7% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 87.9% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 88.0% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 88.2% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 88.3% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 88.4% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 88.6% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 88.7% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 88.9% | +0.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 88.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 94.4%, 94% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 88.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 87.8%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 86.1% | 85.4% | 86.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 87.5% | 86.8% | 88.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.6% | 88.3% | 88.9% | 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 using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Kenya?
- Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Kenya was 88.9% 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 using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 88.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 85.4% in 2000.
- How does Kenya rank for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas?
- Kenya ranks 158th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural 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
Proportion of people who use an improved drinking water source, which is either located on their premises, or at a collection point, which takes no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.