Poverty and living standards in Butha-Buthe, Lesotho: official figures
21.2% of people in Butha-Buthe lived in households in the poorest fifth nationally by household wealth (assets and housing) in 2023-24, and 15.0% in the richest fifth; 5th lowest of the 10 districts for the poorest fifth (Lesotho: 20% in each fifth by definition).
How many children in Butha-Buthe live in poverty?
37.8% of children under 18 in Butha-Buthe 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; the joint lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 45.5%).
Source: Lesotho Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow much crime is there in Butha-Buthe?
Police in Butha-Buthe recorded about 640 serious crime cases in 2022, about 52 per 10,000 residents, 4th highest 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 Butha-Buthe?
About 40 murders were reported in Butha-Buthe in 2022, around 32 per 100,000 residents, 3rd lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 944, 45 per 100,000); about 210 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 Butha-Buthe?
13.1% of women aged 15 to 49 in Butha-Buthe had suffered physical violence in the 12 months before the survey, 2nd lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 19.5%).
Source: Ministry of Health, Lesotho (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyHow Butha-Buthe compares with other districts
Population in the poorest national wealth fifth (2023-24)
Butha-Buthe ranks 6 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Population in the poorest national wealth fifth |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Qacha's Nek | 39.2% |
| 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% |
Children 0-17 multidimensionally poor (2018)
Butha-Buthe ranks 9 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)
Butha-Buthe ranks 4 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Reported serious crime cases per 10,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maseru | 89 |
| 2 | Mokhotlong | 63 |
| 3 | Mafeteng | 54 |
| 4 | Butha-Buthe | 52 |
| 5 | Qacha's Nek | 49 |
| 6 | Leribe | 48 |
| 7 | Thaba-Tseka | 47 |
More on Butha-Buthe: 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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