Poverty and living standards in Eastern Province, Rwanda: official figures
26.8% of people in the Eastern Province lived below the national poverty line in 2023/24 (EICV7), 3rd highest of Rwanda's four provinces and Kigali (Rwanda: 27.4%); NISR's comparable estimate for 2017 was 39.2%.
How many people in Eastern Province are extremely poor?
4.5% of people in the Eastern Province were in extreme poverty (unable to afford even basic food needs) in 2023/24, 3rd highest of Rwanda's four provinces and Kigali (Rwanda: 5.4%; 2017 estimate for Eastern Province: 9.7%).
Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda · saved copyWhich district of Eastern Province is poorest?
Poverty varies between the 7 districts of the Eastern Province: in 2023/24 it was highest in Kayonza (36.6%) and lowest in Kirehe (14.2%).
Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda · saved copyHow many households in Eastern Province have a smartphone?
30.8% of households in the Eastern Province owned a smartphone and 83.8% owned any mobile phone in 2023/24; smartphone ownership is 2nd highest of Rwanda's four provinces and Kigali (Rwanda: 34.3% and 84.6%).
Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda · saved copyHow much crime is there in Eastern Province?
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau recorded 20,103 crimes in the Eastern Province in 2024 (22,806 in 2023), about 531 per 100,000 residents, 3rd highest of Rwanda's four provinces and Kigali (Rwanda: 77,322 crimes, 560 per 100,000).
Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda · saved copyMore figures
- 34.4% of people in the Eastern Province were multidimensionally poor in 2023/24 (deprived in several of education, health, housing and living conditions at once), 2nd highest of Rwanda's four provinces and Kigali (Rwanda: 30.5%). Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda · saved copy
How Eastern Province compares with other provinces
Population below the national poverty line (2023/24)
Eastern Province ranks 3 of 5, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Population below the national poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Province | 37.4% |
| 2 | Southern Province | 34.7% |
| 3 | Eastern Province | 26.8% |
| 4 | Northern Province | 20.2% |
| 5 | City of Kigali | 9.1% |
Population in extreme poverty (2023/24)
Eastern Province ranks 3 of 5, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Population in extreme poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Province | 9.0% |
| 2 | Southern Province | 7.4% |
| 3 | Eastern Province | 4.5% |
| 4 | Northern Province | 3.2% |
| 5 | City of Kigali | 1.1% |
More on Eastern Province: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Rwanda
Sources
- National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda: Seventh Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV7) 2023/24, Main Indicators Report tables, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8a01ec05d851…)
- National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda: Rwanda Statistical Yearbook 2025 (tables 15.1-15.2: 2022 census by province; 14.1.2: crimes by province, Rwanda Investigation Bureau; 3.2.3: HIV testing of pregnant women by province, Rwanda Biomedical Centre), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ef41d895c949…)
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