Poverty and living standards in Maseru, Lesotho: official figures
7.1% of people in Maseru lived in households in the poorest fifth nationally by household wealth (assets and housing) in 2023-24, and 31.4% in the richest fifth; the lowest of the 10 districts for the poorest fifth (Lesotho: 20% in each fifth by definition).
How many children in Maseru live in poverty?
44.9% of children under 18 in Maseru 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; 4th lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 45.5%).
Source: Lesotho Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow much crime is there in Maseru?
Police in Maseru (Maseru Urban and Maseru Rural policing districts together) recorded about 5,150 serious crime cases in 2022, about 89 per 10,000 residents, the 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 Maseru?
About 350 murders were reported in Maseru in 2022, around 60 per 100,000 residents, 2nd highest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 944, 45 per 100,000); about 530 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 Maseru?
21.7% of women aged 15 to 49 in Maseru had suffered physical violence in the 12 months before the survey, 4th highest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 19.5%).
Source: Ministry of Health, Lesotho (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyHow Maseru compares with other districts
Population in the poorest national wealth fifth (2023-24)
Maseru ranks 10 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)
Maseru ranks 7 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)
Maseru ranks 1 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 Maseru: 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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