Poverty and living standards in Tana River, Kenya: official figures
66.7% of people in Tana River lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 225,000 people; 5th 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 Tana River cannot afford enough food?
46.3% of Tana River's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 22.7% 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 Tana River live in poverty?
Child poverty is higher: 68.9% of children under 18 in Tana River lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Tana River?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 33.1 in Tana River in 2022, against 37.6 in 2015/16 (Kenya: 38.4; 0 means everyone spends the same).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo families in Tana River go hungry?
41.6% of households in Tana River said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 15th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 19.5% 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 Tana River have clean water and toilets?
48.7% of people in Tana River had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, 13th lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 9.2% had at least a basic toilet not shared with other households (Kenya: 40.9%), and 55.2% had no toilet at all.
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyWhat do households in Tana River cook with?
1.7% of people in Tana River lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, 3rd 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 Tana River compares with other counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
Tana River ranks 5 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Mandera | 72.9% |
| 3 | Samburu | 71.9% |
| 4 | Garissa | 67.8% |
| 5 | Tana River | 66.7% |
| 6 | Marsabit | 66.1% |
| 7 | Wajir | 64.7% |
| 8 | West Pokot | 60.1% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
Tana River ranks 35 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People with at least basic drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Wajir | 52.9% |
| 33 | Migori | 52.9% |
| 34 | Mombasa | 52.4% |
| 35 | Tana River | 48.7% |
| 36 | Siaya | 48.5% |
| 37 | Narok | 48.2% |
| 38 | Kwale | 46.7% |
More on Tana River: 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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