Poverty and living standards in Kitui, Kenya: official figures
58.3% of people in Kitui lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 707,000 people; 9th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 39.8%, 20.16 million people). The line is the cost of basic food and non-food needs per adult per month.
How many people in Kitui cannot afford enough food?
37.7% of Kitui's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 11.9% were in hardcore poverty, unable to afford it even if they spent everything on food (Kenya: 31.7% and 7.1%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many children in Kitui live in poverty?
Child poverty is higher: 59.5% of children under 18 in Kitui lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Kitui?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 27.9 in Kitui in 2022, against 33.6 in 2015/16 (Kenya: 38.4; 0 means everyone spends the same).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo families in Kitui go hungry?
43.6% of households in Kitui said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 11th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 15.9% received a cash transfer or social assistance (Kenya: 16.8%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyDo people in Kitui have clean water and toilets?
21.2% of people in Kitui had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, the lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 50.0% had at least a basic toilet not shared with other households (Kenya: 40.9%), and 5.1% had no toilet at all.
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyWhat do households in Kitui cook with?
6.6% of people in Kitui lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, joint 14th lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 23.8%); most others cook with wood or charcoal.
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyHow Kitui compares with other counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
Kitui ranks 9 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Marsabit | 66.1% |
| 7 | Wajir | 64.7% |
| 8 | West Pokot | 60.1% |
| 9 | Kitui | 58.3% |
| 10 | Isiolo | 55.6% |
| 11 | Kilifi | 53.0% |
| 12 | Elgeyo-Marakwet | 53.0% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
Kitui ranks 47 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People with at least basic drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Kisii | 44.4% |
| 42 | Turkana | 41.7% |
| 43 | Marsabit | 41.3% |
| 44 | Baringo | 38.7% |
| 45 | West Pokot | 38.1% |
| 46 | Samburu | 28.6% |
| 47 | Kitui | 21.2% |
More on Kitui: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Kenya
Sources
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF): Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022, Volume 1: county tables (C tables), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 202dd70451a0…)
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics: The Kenya Poverty Report 2022 (2022 Kenya Continuous Household Survey): Tables 3.2 and 4.6, Annex Tables A1, B1, C1 and E.2, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e3298f81209a…)
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