Poverty and living standards in Lamu, Kenya: official figures
35.6% of people in Lamu lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 53,000 people; 13th lowest 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 Lamu cannot afford enough food?
30.1% of Lamu's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 3.7% 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 Lamu live in poverty?
Child poverty is lower: 32.6% of children under 18 in Lamu lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Lamu?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 30.8 in Lamu in 2022, against 33.1 in 2015/16 (Kenya: 38.4; 0 means everyone spends the same).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo families in Lamu go hungry?
31.7% of households in Lamu said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 21st highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 20.6% 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 Lamu have clean water and toilets?
65.9% of people in Lamu had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, 24th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 43.9% had at least a basic toilet not shared with other households (Kenya: 40.9%), and 15.8% had no toilet at all.
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyWhat do households in Lamu cook with?
10.0% of people in Lamu lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, 18th highest 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 Lamu compares with other counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
Lamu ranks 35 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Trans Nzoia | 37.3% |
| 33 | Kajiado | 37.3% |
| 34 | Tharaka-Nithi | 36.1% |
| 35 | Lamu | 35.6% |
| 36 | Nyandarua | 34.5% |
| 37 | Meru | 34.1% |
| 38 | Kisii | 32.9% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
Lamu ranks 24 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People with at least basic drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Taita-Taveta | 68.3% |
| 22 | Machakos | 68.1% |
| 23 | Kilifi | 66.2% |
| 24 | Lamu | 65.9% |
| 25 | Elgeyo-Marakwet | 64.2% |
| 26 | Kericho | 62.5% |
| 27 | Tharaka-Nithi | 61.1% |
More on Lamu: 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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