Poverty and living standards in Nairobi City, Kenya: official figures
16.5% of people in Nairobi City lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 767,000 people; the 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 Nairobi City cannot afford enough food?
15.8% of Nairobi City's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 1.3% 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 Nairobi City live in poverty?
Child poverty is higher: 20.8% of children under 18 in Nairobi City lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Nairobi City?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 36.8 in Nairobi City 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 Nairobi City go hungry?
21.3% of households in Nairobi City said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, joint 12th lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 10.3% 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 Nairobi City have clean water and toilets?
98.6% of people in Nairobi City had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, the highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 48.7% had at least a basic toilet not shared with other households (Kenya: 40.9%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyWhat do households in Nairobi City cook with?
81.7% of people in Nairobi City lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, the 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 Nairobi City compares with other capital city counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
Nairobi City ranks 47 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Mombasa | 27.0% |
| 42 | Narok | 26.2% |
| 43 | Nyeri | 26.0% |
| 44 | Embu | 24.3% |
| 45 | Kirinyaga | 23.1% |
| 46 | Kiambu | 19.9% |
| 47 | Nairobi City | 16.5% |
People below the overall poverty line, former provinces (2022)
Nairobi City ranks 8 of 8, highest first. Former provinces: poor people in their counties divided by population.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line, former provinces |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Western (former province) | 45.6% |
| 3 | Coast (former province) | 44.8% |
| 4 | Rift Valley (former province) | 44.6% |
| 5 | Eastern (former province) | 42.7% |
| 6 | Nyanza (former province) | 36.9% |
| 7 | Central (former province) | 24.8% |
| 8 | Nairobi City | 16.5% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
Nairobi City ranks 1 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People with at least basic drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nairobi City | 98.6% |
| 2 | Kiambu | 94.2% |
| 3 | Nyeri | 90.7% |
| 4 | Nyandarua | 89.5% |
| 5 | Murang'a | 80.6% |
| 6 | Uasin Gishu | 79.0% |
| 7 | Kirinyaga | 76.2% |
More on Nairobi City: 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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