Poverty and living standards in Nyeri, Kenya: official figures
26.0% of people in Nyeri lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 210,000 people; 5th 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 Nyeri cannot afford enough food?
18.2% of Nyeri's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 2.4% 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 Nyeri live in poverty?
Child poverty is higher: 30.8% of children under 18 in Nyeri lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Nyeri?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 29.7 in Nyeri in 2022, against 32.1 in 2015/16 (Kenya: 38.4; 0 means everyone spends the same).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo families in Nyeri go hungry?
20.5% of households in Nyeri said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 11th lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 24.5% 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 Nyeri have clean water and toilets?
90.7% of people in Nyeri had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, 3rd highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 50.7% 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 Nyeri cook with?
31.0% of people in Nyeri lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, 6th 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 Nyeri compares with other counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
Nyeri ranks 43 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Homa Bay | 28.2% |
| 41 | Mombasa | 27.0% |
| 42 | Narok | 26.2% |
| 43 | Nyeri | 26.0% |
| 44 | Embu | 24.3% |
| 45 | Kirinyaga | 23.1% |
| 46 | Kiambu | 19.9% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
Nyeri ranks 3 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 Nyeri: 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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