Poverty and living standards in Taita-Taveta, Kenya: official figures
39.3% of people in Taita-Taveta lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 141,000 people; 23rd 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 Taita-Taveta cannot afford enough food?
34.6% of Taita-Taveta's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 1.7% 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 Taita-Taveta live in poverty?
Child poverty is higher: 40.4% of children under 18 in Taita-Taveta lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Taita-Taveta?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 34.0 in Taita-Taveta in 2022, against 34.2 in 2015/16 (Kenya: 38.4; 0 means everyone spends the same).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo families in Taita-Taveta go hungry?
29.1% of households in Taita-Taveta said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 24th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 17.7% 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 Taita-Taveta have clean water and toilets?
68.3% of people in Taita-Taveta had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, 21st highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 56.6% 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 Taita-Taveta cook with?
11.9% of people in Taita-Taveta lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, 17th 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 Taita-Taveta compares with other counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
Taita-Taveta ranks 23 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Migori | 45.7% |
| 21 | Makueni | 44.7% |
| 22 | Uasin Gishu | 39.9% |
| 23 | Taita-Taveta | 39.3% |
| 24 | Nandi | 39.1% |
| 25 | Kisumu | 39.0% |
| 26 | Nyamira | 38.8% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
Taita-Taveta ranks 21 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People with at least basic drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Garissa | 70.8% |
| 19 | Bungoma | 70.0% |
| 20 | Laikipia | 69.7% |
| 21 | Taita-Taveta | 68.3% |
| 22 | Machakos | 68.1% |
| 23 | Kilifi | 66.2% |
| 24 | Lamu | 65.9% |
More on Taita-Taveta: 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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