Poverty and living standards in Northern Province, Rwanda: official figures
20.2% of people in the Northern Province lived below the national poverty line in 2023/24 (EICV7), 2nd lowest of Rwanda's four provinces and Kigali (Rwanda: 27.4%); NISR's comparable estimate for 2017 was 33.0%.
How many people in Northern Province are extremely poor?
3.2% of people in the Northern Province were in extreme poverty (unable to afford even basic food needs) in 2023/24, 2nd lowest of Rwanda's four provinces and Kigali (Rwanda: 5.4%; 2017 estimate for Northern Province: 8.1%).
Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda · saved copyWhich district of Northern Province is poorest?
Poverty varies between the 5 districts of the Northern Province: in 2023/24 it was highest in Gakenke (24.5%) and lowest in Gicumbi (13.3%).
Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda · saved copyHow many households in Northern Province have a smartphone?
28.7% of households in the Northern Province owned a smartphone and 84.7% owned any mobile phone in 2023/24; smartphone ownership is 2nd lowest 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 Northern Province?
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau recorded 8,252 crimes in the Northern Province in 2024 (9,824 in 2023), about 391 per 100,000 residents, the lowest 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
- 28.7% of people in the Northern Province were multidimensionally poor in 2023/24 (deprived in several of education, health, housing and living conditions at once), 2nd lowest of Rwanda's four provinces and Kigali (Rwanda: 30.5%). Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda · saved copy
How Northern Province compares with other provinces
Population below the national poverty line (2023/24)
Northern Province ranks 4 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)
Northern Province ranks 4 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 Northern 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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