Poverty and living standards in Berea, Lesotho: official figures
12.6% of people in Berea lived in households in the poorest fifth nationally by household wealth (assets and housing) in 2023-24, and 29.5% in the richest fifth; 4th lowest of the 10 districts for the poorest fifth (Lesotho: 20% in each fifth by definition).
How many children in Berea live in poverty?
41.4% of children under 18 in Berea were multidimensionally poor (deprived in three or more of eight areas, such as housing, water, sanitation and access to information) in the Bureau of Statistics 2021 child poverty report, which uses 2018 survey data; 3rd lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 45.5%).
Source: Lesotho Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow much crime is there in Berea?
Police in Berea recorded about 1,000 serious crime cases in 2022, about 37 per 10,000 residents, 3rd lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 11,939 cases, 57 per 10,000). These are crimes reported to the police, not all crimes.
Source: Lesotho Bureau of Statistics (from Lesotho Mounted Police Service records) · saved copyHow many murders are there in Berea?
About 97 murders were reported in Berea in 2022, around 36 per 100,000 residents, 5th lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 944, 45 per 100,000); about 270 cases of stock theft were also reported.
Source: Lesotho Bureau of Statistics (from Lesotho Mounted Police Service records) · saved copyHow common is violence against women in Berea?
19.9% of women aged 15 to 49 in Berea had suffered physical violence in the 12 months before the survey, 5th highest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 19.5%).
Source: Ministry of Health, Lesotho (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyHow Berea compares with other districts
Population in the poorest national wealth fifth (2023-24)
Berea ranks 7 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Population in the poorest national wealth fifth |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Quthing | 36.0% |
| 5 | Mohale's Hoek | 35.7% |
| 6 | Butha-Buthe | 21.2% |
| 7 | Berea | 12.6% |
| 8 | Mafeteng | 11.8% |
| 9 | Leribe | 9.2% |
| 10 | Maseru | 7.1% |
Children 0-17 multidimensionally poor (2018)
Berea ranks 8 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Children 0-17 multidimensionally poor |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Quthing | 51.0% |
| 5 | Mohale's Hoek | 49.4% |
| 6 | Mafeteng | 45.6% |
| 7 | Maseru | 44.9% |
| 8 | Berea | 41.4% |
| 9 | Butha-Buthe | 37.8% |
| 10 | Leribe | 37.8% |
Reported serious crime cases per 10,000 people (2022)
Berea ranks 8 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Reported serious crime cases per 10,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Butha-Buthe | 52 |
| 5 | Qacha's Nek | 49 |
| 6 | Leribe | 48 |
| 7 | Thaba-Tseka | 47 |
| 8 | Berea | 37 |
| 9 | Mohale's Hoek | 33 |
| 10 | Quthing | 25 |
More on Berea: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Lesotho
Sources
- Lesotho Bureau of Statistics: Lesotho 2021 Multidimensional Child Poverty Report Highlights (Figure 2: child poverty rate by district), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c1ee162b8f9…)
- Lesotho Bureau of Statistics (from Lesotho Mounted Police Service records): Crime Statistics Report 2022 (Tables 2.1 and 2.2: reported serious crime by policing district), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9397635f29e4…)
- Ministry of Health, Lesotho (with ICF, The DHS Program): Lesotho Demographic and Health Survey 2023-24, Final Report (district rows of Tables 2.6, 2.13, 3.3.1, 3.9.1, 5.2, 5.12, 7.3.2, 9.2, 9.7, 10.4, 11.1, 12.5.1, 14.2, 14.7 and 19.1), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d7fd2a0a8ae0…)
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