Poverty and living standards in Wajir, Kenya: official figures
64.7% of people in Wajir lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 539,000 people; 7th 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 Wajir cannot afford enough food?
45.6% of Wajir's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 10.6% 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 Wajir live in poverty?
Child poverty is higher: 69.7% of children under 18 in Wajir lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Wajir?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 28.9 in Wajir in 2022, against 25.1 in 2015/16 (Kenya: 38.4; 0 means everyone spends the same).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo families in Wajir go hungry?
31.9% of households in Wajir said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 20th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 21.8% 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 Wajir have clean water and toilets?
52.9% of people in Wajir had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, joint 15th lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 20.3% had at least a basic toilet not shared with other households (Kenya: 40.9%), and 40.0% had no toilet at all.
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyWhat do households in Wajir cook with?
0.9% of people in Wajir lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, the 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 Wajir compares with other counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
Wajir ranks 7 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Garissa | 67.8% |
| 5 | Tana River | 66.7% |
| 6 | Marsabit | 66.1% |
| 7 | Wajir | 64.7% |
| 8 | West Pokot | 60.1% |
| 9 | Kitui | 58.3% |
| 10 | Isiolo | 55.6% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
Wajir ranks 32 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People with at least basic drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Busia | 57.1% |
| 30 | Nyamira | 55.6% |
| 31 | Mandera | 54.0% |
| 32 | Wajir | 52.9% |
| 33 | Migori | 52.9% |
| 34 | Mombasa | 52.4% |
| 35 | Tana River | 48.7% |
More on Wajir: 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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