Homicide rate in Kenya
Kenya: Homicide rate was 4.87 homicides per 100,000 population in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
4.87 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
63rd
of 179 countries
All-time high
5.41 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2012
All-time low
2.9 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2007
Years of data
18
2004–2022
Homicide rate in Kenya, 2004–2022
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 in Kenya is 4.87 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 7.3% on the previous year and down 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Kenya peaked at 5.41 homicides per 100,000 population in 2012 and was at its lowest, 2.9 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2007.
That places Kenya 63rd out of 179 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
Homicide rate in Kenya, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 3.46 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 2005 | 3.03 homicides per 100,000 population | -12.4% |
| 2006 | 3 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 2.9 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 3.1 homicides per 100,000 population | +7.0% |
| 2009 | 4.72 homicides per 100,000 population | +52.3% |
| 2010 | 4.63 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 5.31 homicides per 100,000 population | +14.7% |
| 2012 | 5.41 homicides per 100,000 population | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 5.01 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 4.8 homicides per 100,000 population | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 4.91 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 5.01 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 3.13 homicides per 100,000 population | -37.7% |
| 2019 | 3.08 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 3.56 homicides per 100,000 population | +15.7% |
| 2021 | 5.25 homicides per 100,000 population | +47.6% |
| 2022 | 4.87 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.3% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 4.87 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.07 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.2× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 4.87 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.43 homicides per 100,000 population, 90% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.37 homicides per 100,000 population | 2.9 homicides per 100,000 population | 4.72 homicides per 100,000 population | 6 |
| 2010s | 4.59 homicides per 100,000 population | 3.08 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.41 homicides per 100,000 population | 9 |
| 2020s | 4.56 homicides per 100,000 population | 3.56 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.25 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 60 Greenland 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 61 Zambia 5.2 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 62 Liechtenstein 5.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 64 Thailand 4.79 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 65 Tunisia 4.69 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 66 Argentina 4.49 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 in Kenya?
- Homicide rate in Kenya was 4.87 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 recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 5.41 homicides per 100,000 population in 2012.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.9 homicides per 100,000 population in 2007.
- How does Kenya rank for homicide rate?
- Kenya ranks 63rd out of 179 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.