Largest cities in Kenya, 1975 to 2050

Nairobi leads Kenya with 6.13 million people in 2025, ahead of Mombasa at 1.46 million in the UN city ranking.

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What the data shows

In 2025, Nairobi ranks #1 with 6.13M, ahead of Mombasa (1.46M) and Nakuru (0.57M).
By 2050, on the UN's projections, Nairobi is projected to rank #1 with 8.51M, ahead of Mombasa (1.81M) and Nakuru (0.86M).
Nairobi holds #1 for the whole period, 1975 to 2025.
Biggest climber: Mutuati, from #17 in 2015 to #4 in 2050.
Nakuru and Mutuati weren't on the board in 1975 but are in the top 5 by 2050.

About this chart

Nairobi stands well above the other cities in Kenya: its 6.13 million people in 2025 are about 4.20 times the 1.46 million in second-place Mombasa. Nairobi also led the 1975 ranking, when the UN series put it at 0.54 million. Nakuru occupies third place in 2025 at 0.57 million. These are populations of urban areas defined consistently by the UN, rather than administrative city limits.

The UN projects Nairobi to lead in 2050 at 8.51 million people. The figures after 2025 are projections. The Degree of Urbanization identifies contiguous dense settlements, so these totals can differ from municipal and metropolitan statistics. The historical ranking is useful for comparing positions; changing settlement boundaries mean it should not be treated as a measure of growth within fixed city limits.

The data

Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population.

Largest cities in Kenya, Population in millions, 1975–2050; projected after 2025, 1975–2050
Date	🇰🇪 Nairobi	🇰🇪 Mombasa	🇰🇪 Kisumu	🇰🇪 Nakuru	🇰🇪 Thika	🇰🇪 Eldoret	🇰🇪 Kisii	🇰🇪 Malindi	🇰🇪 Kitale	🇰🇪 Ongata Rongai	🇰🇪 Bungoma	🇰🇪 Garissa	🇰🇪 El Wak	🇰🇪 Wajir	🇰🇪 Mutuati	🇰🇪 Naivasha	🇰🇪 Vihiga	🇰🇪 Kiambu
1975	0.54M	0.20M	0.08M
1976	0.58M	0.22M	0.09M
1977	0.63M	0.24M	0.11M
1978	0.68M	0.26M	0.12M
1979	0.72M	0.28M	0.13M
1980	0.77M	0.30M	0.15M	0.05M
1981	0.83M	0.31M	0.15M	0.06M
1982	0.90M	0.33M	0.16M	0.06M
1983	0.96M	0.34M	0.17M	0.06M
1984	1.02M	0.35M	0.17M	0.07M
1985	1.08M	0.37M	0.18M	0.07M	0.05M
1986	1.16M	0.39M	0.18M	0.09M	0.06M
1987	1.24M	0.41M	0.19M	0.10M	0.06M
1988	1.31M	0.43M	0.20M	0.12M	0.07M
1989	1.39M	0.45M	0.20M	0.13M	0.08M
1990	1.47M	0.48M	0.21M	0.14M	0.08M	0.08M	0.06M	0.05M
1991	1.57M	0.50M	0.21M	0.15M	0.09M	0.09M	0.07M	0.05M
1992	1.67M	0.52M	0.21M	0.16M	0.09M	0.10M	0.08M	0.06M
1993	1.77M	0.54M	0.21M	0.16M	0.09M	0.12M	0.08M	0.06M
1994	1.87M	0.56M	0.21M	0.17M	0.09M	0.13M	0.09M	0.06M
1995	1.97M	0.59M	0.22M	0.18M	0.09M	0.14M	0.10M	0.07M	0.06M	0.06M
1996	2.10M	0.61M	0.22M	0.19M	0.09M	0.15M	0.10M	0.07M	0.07M	0.06M
1997	2.22M	0.64M	0.22M	0.19M	0.10M	0.17M	0.10M	0.07M	0.07M	0.06M
1998	2.34M	0.66M	0.22M	0.20M	0.10M	0.18M	0.11M	0.07M	0.07M	0.06M
1999	2.46M	0.68M	0.22M	0.21M	0.10M	0.20M	0.11M	0.07M	0.08M	0.07M
2000	2.58M	0.71M	0.23M	0.22M	0.10M	0.21M	0.11M	0.07M	0.08M	0.07M	0.07M							0.05M
2001	2.69M	0.73M	0.23M	0.23M	0.10M	0.22M	0.12M	0.08M	0.08M	0.07M	0.07M							0.05M
2002	2.80M	0.75M	0.24M	0.24M	0.10M	0.23M	0.13M	0.08M	0.09M	0.07M	0.07M							0.05M
2003	2.91M	0.78M	0.24M	0.26M	0.10M	0.23M	0.13M	0.08M	0.09M	0.08M	0.08M							0.06M
2004	3.02M	0.80M	0.25M	0.27M	0.11M	0.24M	0.14M	0.09M	0.10M	0.08M	0.08M							0.06M
2005	3.13M	0.82M	0.26M	0.28M	0.11M	0.25M	0.15M	0.09M	0.10M	0.08M	0.08M	0.07M	0.06M					0.06M
2006	3.26M	0.86M	0.26M	0.29M	0.11M	0.26M	0.15M	0.09M	0.11M	0.09M	0.08M	0.08M	0.07M					0.06M
2007	3.39M	0.89M	0.27M	0.31M	0.11M	0.27M	0.15M	0.09M	0.11M	0.09M	0.08M	0.09M	0.07M					0.06M
2008	3.52M	0.93M	0.27M	0.32M	0.11M	0.27M	0.15M	0.10M	0.12M	0.09M	0.08M	0.10M	0.08M					0.06M
2009	3.65M	0.97M	0.28M	0.33M	0.12M	0.28M	0.15M	0.10M	0.12M	0.09M	0.08M	0.11M	0.09M					0.06M
2010	3.78M	1.00M	0.28M	0.34M	0.12M	0.29M	0.16M	0.10M	0.13M	0.10M	0.08M	0.12M	0.09M	0.09M				0.06M
2011	3.96M	1.04M	0.30M	0.36M	0.12M	0.30M	0.16M	0.10M	0.13M	0.10M	0.08M	0.14M	0.10M	0.09M				0.07M
2012	4.14M	1.07M	0.31M	0.38M	0.12M	0.31M	0.16M	0.11M	0.13M	0.10M	0.08M	0.15M	0.11M	0.10M				0.07M
2013	4.32M	1.11M	0.32M	0.40M	0.12M	0.32M	0.17M	0.11M	0.13M	0.11M	0.08M	0.17M	0.12M	0.11M				0.07M
2014	4.50M	1.15M	0.34M	0.41M	0.12M	0.33M	0.17M	0.11M	0.14M	0.11M	0.08M	0.18M	0.13M	0.12M				0.08M
2015	4.67M	1.18M	0.35M	0.43M	0.13M	0.34M	0.17M	0.11M	0.14M	0.11M	0.08M	0.20M	0.14M	0.12M	0.06M	0.08M		0.08M
2016	4.86M	1.22M	0.36M	0.45M	0.13M	0.35M	0.17M	0.12M	0.15M	0.12M	0.09M	0.22M	0.15M	0.13M	0.06M	0.09M		0.08M
2017	5.04M	1.26M	0.37M	0.47M	0.13M	0.36M	0.18M	0.12M	0.15M	0.12M	0.09M	0.24M	0.16M	0.14M	0.06M	0.11M		0.08M
2018	5.23M	1.30M	0.38M	0.49M	0.13M	0.37M	0.18M	0.12M	0.15M	0.12M	0.09M	0.26M	0.17M	0.15M	0.06M	0.12M		0.08M
2019	5.41M	1.34M	0.39M	0.51M	0.13M	0.38M	0.18M	0.12M	0.16M	0.12M	0.09M	0.28M	0.18M	0.16M	0.06M	0.13M		0.08M
2020	5.59M	1.37M	0.40M	0.53M	0.13M	0.39M	0.18M	0.12M	0.16M	0.12M	0.09M	0.31M	0.19M	0.16M	0.07M	0.14M	0.08M	0.08M
2021	5.70M	1.39M	0.40M	0.54M	0.13M	0.39M	0.19M	0.12M	0.17M	0.13M	0.09M	0.31M	0.20M	0.17M	0.10M	0.15M	0.09M	0.08M
2022	5.81M	1.41M	0.41M	0.55M	0.13M	0.40M	0.19M	0.12M	0.17M	0.13M	0.09M	0.32M	0.20M	0.17M	0.13M	0.16M	0.09M	0.08M
2023	5.92M	1.42M	0.42M	0.56M	0.14M	0.41M	0.19M	0.12M	0.17M	0.14M	0.09M	0.32M	0.20M	0.17M	0.17M	0.17M	0.10M	0.08M
2024	6.03M	1.44M	0.42M	0.57M	0.14M	0.41M	0.20M	0.13M	0.18M	0.14M	0.09M	0.33M	0.21M	0.17M	0.20M	0.18M	0.11M	0.09M
2025	6.13M	1.46M	0.43M	0.57M	0.14M	0.42M	0.20M	0.13M	0.18M	0.15M	0.09M	0.33M	0.21M	0.18M	0.23M	0.19M	0.12M	0.09M
2026	6.24M	1.47M	0.44M	0.59M	0.15M	0.42M	0.21M	0.13M	0.18M	0.17M	0.09M	0.34M	0.21M	0.18M	0.26M	0.20M	0.12M	0.09M
2027	6.36M	1.49M	0.44M	0.60M	0.15M	0.43M	0.21M	0.13M	0.19M	0.19M	0.10M	0.35M	0.22M	0.18M	0.29M	0.20M	0.13M	0.09M
2028	6.47M	1.51M	0.45M	0.62M	0.16M	0.44M	0.21M	0.14M	0.19M	0.21M	0.10M	0.35M	0.22M	0.19M	0.32M	0.21M	0.14M	0.09M
2029	6.58M	1.52M	0.46M	0.63M	0.16M	0.44M	0.22M	0.14M	0.19M	0.23M	0.10M	0.36M	0.22M	0.19M	0.35M	0.22M	0.14M	0.10M
2030	6.69M	1.54M	0.46M	0.65M	0.16M	0.45M	0.22M	0.14M	0.20M	0.25M	0.10M	0.36M	0.23M	0.19M	0.38M	0.23M	0.15M	0.10M
2031	6.79M	1.56M	0.48M	0.66M	0.17M	0.46M	0.23M	0.15M	0.20M	0.26M	0.10M	0.37M	0.23M	0.19M	0.39M	0.24M	0.16M	0.11M
2032	6.90M	1.57M	0.49M	0.67M	0.18M	0.46M	0.23M	0.15M	0.20M	0.27M	0.11M	0.38M	0.23M	0.20M	0.40M	0.24M	0.18M	0.12M
2033	7.00M	1.59M	0.50M	0.68M	0.19M	0.47M	0.24M	0.16M	0.20M	0.27M	0.11M	0.38M	0.24M	0.20M	0.42M	0.25M	0.20M	0.13M
2034	7.11M	1.60M	0.51M	0.70M	0.20M	0.48M	0.25M	0.16M	0.21M	0.28M	0.11M	0.39M	0.24M	0.20M	0.43M	0.25M	0.22M	0.15M
2035	7.21M	1.62M	0.52M	0.71M	0.21M	0.48M	0.25M	0.16M	0.21M	0.28M	0.11M	0.39M	0.24M	0.21M	0.44M	0.26M	0.23M	0.16M
2036	7.31M	1.64M	0.53M	0.72M	0.21M	0.49M	0.26M	0.17M	0.21M	0.29M	0.12M	0.40M	0.24M	0.21M	0.47M	0.26M	0.25M	0.16M
2037	7.40M	1.65M	0.54M	0.74M	0.22M	0.49M	0.26M	0.17M	0.22M	0.29M	0.12M	0.40M	0.25M	0.21M	0.49M	0.27M	0.26M	0.17M
2038	7.50M	1.66M	0.55M	0.75M	0.22M	0.50M	0.27M	0.17M	0.22M	0.30M	0.13M	0.41M	0.25M	0.22M	0.51M	0.27M	0.27M	0.17M
2039	7.59M	1.68M	0.56M	0.77M	0.23M	0.51M	0.28M	0.18M	0.23M	0.31M	0.13M	0.41M	0.25M	0.22M	0.54M	0.27M	0.28M	0.17M
2040	7.69M	1.69M	0.56M	0.78M	0.23M	0.51M	0.29M	0.18M	0.23M	0.31M	0.13M	0.42M	0.26M	0.22M	0.56M	0.28M	0.29M	0.18M
2041	7.77M	1.71M	0.57M	0.79M	0.23M	0.52M	0.29M	0.18M	0.23M	0.32M	0.14M	0.42M	0.26M	0.23M	0.58M	0.28M	0.30M	0.21M
2042	7.85M	1.72M	0.57M	0.80M	0.24M	0.53M	0.30M	0.18M	0.23M	0.32M	0.14M	0.43M	0.26M	0.23M	0.60M	0.29M	0.30M	0.23M
2043	7.93M	1.73M	0.58M	0.80M	0.24M	0.53M	0.31M	0.19M	0.24M	0.33M	0.14M	0.43M	0.27M	0.23M	0.62M	0.29M	0.31M	0.26M
2044	8.01M	1.75M	0.59M	0.81M	0.24M	0.54M	0.32M	0.19M	0.24M	0.34M	0.14M	0.44M	0.27M	0.24M	0.64M	0.30M	0.32M	0.29M
2045	8.09M	1.76M	0.59M	0.82M	0.24M	0.55M	0.33M	0.19M	0.24M	0.34M	0.14M	0.44M	0.27M	0.24M	0.66M	0.30M	0.32M	0.32M
2046	8.17M	1.77M	0.60M	0.83M	0.25M	0.55M	0.33M	0.20M	0.24M	0.35M	0.14M	0.44M	0.28M	0.24M	0.68M	0.30M	0.35M	0.34M
2047	8.26M	1.78M	0.60M	0.84M	0.25M	0.56M	0.33M	0.20M	0.25M	0.35M	0.14M	0.45M	0.28M	0.25M	0.70M	0.31M	0.37M	0.35M
2048	8.34M	1.79M	0.61M	0.84M	0.26M	0.56M	0.34M	0.20M	0.25M	0.36M	0.14M	0.45M	0.28M	0.25M	0.71M	0.31M	0.40M	0.37M
2049	8.43M	1.80M	0.61M	0.85M	0.26M	0.57M	0.34M	0.20M	0.25M	0.36M	0.15M	0.46M	0.28M	0.25M	0.73M	0.31M	0.42M	0.38M
2050	8.51M	1.81M	0.62M	0.86M	0.26M	0.57M	0.34M	0.20M	0.25M	0.37M	0.15M	0.46M	0.29M	0.25M	0.75M	0.32M	0.45M	0.40M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Kenya?

Nairobi is the largest city in Kenya in the UN 2025 series, with about 6.13 million people. Mombasa follows at 1.46 million. These figures use the UN Degree of Urbanization definition, not municipal boundaries.

Which city is projected to be largest in Kenya in 2050?

The UN projects Nairobi to rank first in 2050, with about 8.51 million people. This is a projection, not an observed population count.

Was Nairobi also the largest city in 1975?

The 1975 ranking was led by Nairobi, with 0.54 million people. The table preserves every city that reached the top ten in any year shown, including cities outside the top ten today.

Where does this data come from?

UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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