Poverty and living standards in West Pokot, Kenya: official figures
60.1% of people in West Pokot lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 399,000 people; 8th 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 West Pokot cannot afford enough food?
49.3% of West Pokot's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 16.8% 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 West Pokot live in poverty?
Child poverty is higher: 62.0% of children under 18 in West Pokot lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is West Pokot?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 28.8 in West Pokot in 2022, against 31.2 in 2015/16 (Kenya: 38.4; 0 means everyone spends the same).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo families in West Pokot go hungry?
24.5% of households in West Pokot said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 19th lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 8.8% 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 West Pokot have clean water and toilets?
38.1% of people in West Pokot had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, 3rd lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 20.2% had at least a basic toilet not shared with other households (Kenya: 40.9%), and 36.2% had no toilet at all.
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyWhat do households in West Pokot cook with?
4.2% of people in West Pokot lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, 9th 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 West Pokot compares with other counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
West Pokot ranks 8 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 11 | Kilifi | 53.0% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
West Pokot ranks 45 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People with at least basic drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Kisii | 44.4% |
| 42 | Turkana | 41.7% |
| 43 | Marsabit | 41.3% |
| 44 | Baringo | 38.7% |
| 45 | West Pokot | 38.1% |
| 46 | Samburu | 28.6% |
| 47 | Kitui | 21.2% |
More on West Pokot: 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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