Homicide rate by sex of the victim in Kenya
Kenya: Homicide rate by sex of the victim was 7.11 homicides per 100,000 population in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
7.11 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
down 10.0%
World rank
53rd
of 138 countries
All-time high
8.3 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2017
All-time low
4.53 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2018
Years of data
9
2014–2022
Homicide rate by sex of the victim in Kenya, 2014–2022
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides per 100,000 population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicide rate by sex of the victim in Kenya is 7.11 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.0% on the previous year and down 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate by sex of the victim in Kenya peaked at 8.3 homicides per 100,000 population in 2017 and was at its lowest, 4.53 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2018.
Kenya ranks 53rd of 138 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Homicide rate by sex of the victim in Kenya, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 7.77 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 2015 | 7.03 homicides per 100,000 population | -9.5% |
| 2016 | 7.19 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 8.3 homicides per 100,000 population | +15.4% |
| 2018 | 4.53 homicides per 100,000 population | -45.4% |
| 2019 | 4.63 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 5.43 homicides per 100,000 population | +17.2% |
| 2021 | 7.89 homicides per 100,000 population | +45.5% |
| 2022 | 7.11 homicides per 100,000 population | -10.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 7.11 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.92 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.4× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 7.11 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.31 homicides per 100,000 population, 69% of the median. (9 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6.58 homicides per 100,000 population | 4.53 homicides per 100,000 population | 8.3 homicides per 100,000 population | 6 |
| 2020s | 6.81 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.43 homicides per 100,000 population | 7.89 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 50 Philippines 7.54 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 51 Argentina 7.45 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 52 Cuba 7.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 54 Thailand 6.5 homicides per 100,000 population
- 55 Bolivia 5.85 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 56 Tanzania 5.81 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Kenya
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 617,125 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,325 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,325 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0107 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate by sex of the victim in Kenya?
- Homicide rate by sex of the victim in Kenya was 7.11 homicides per 100,000 population in 2022, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate by sex of the victim recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 8.3 homicides per 100,000 population in 2017.
- What is the lowest homicide rate by sex of the victim recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.53 homicides per 100,000 population in 2018.
- How does Kenya rank for homicide rate by sex of the victim?
- Kenya ranks 53rd out of 138 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicide rate by sex of the victim rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. 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); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate by sex of the victim. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 populationof male victims.