List of cities and towns in Kenya by population

Last updated

Kenya has five incorporated cities including the capital and largest city, Nairobi, the second-largest city of Mombasa, and the third-largest city, Kisumu. The fourth city to be awarded the status was Nakuru, which was upgraded from a municipality on 1 December 2021. The fifth was Eldoret, which was elevated on 15th August, 2024. Apart from these five cities, there are numerous municipalities and towns with significant urban populations.

Contents

Top 100 list

The list:

Capital city
City
Municipality
Others

The municipalities of Ruiru, Kikuyu,Thika, Mavoko, and Ngong which feature on the top 10 list of the most populated towns in Kenya also fall within the Nairobi Metropolitan region. Data for the largest urban centers in Kenya was provided under the Kenya Population Census of 2019. [1]

№City/ TownStatusPopulation County Ref
1. Coat of Arms of Nairobi.svg Nairobi Capital4,397,073 Coat of Arms of Nairobi.svg Nairobi [2]
2. Mombasa County Coat of Arms.png Mombasa City1,208,333 Mombasa County Coat of Arms.png Mombasa [3]
3. Nakuru City570,674 Nakuru [3]
4. Ruiru Municipality (Ruiru + Githurai)490,120 Kiambu [3]
5. Eldoret City475,716 Uasin Gishu [3]
6. Kisumu City397,957 Kisumu [3]
7. Kikuyu Municipality323,881 Kiambu [3]
8. Ngong Municipality (Ngong + O/Rongai)279,757 Kajiado [3]
9. Mavoko Municipality (Mlolongo + Athi River + Syokimau + Katani + Githunguri)258,498 Machakos [4]
10. Thika Municipality251,407 Kiambu/Murang'a [3]
11. Naivasha Municipality198,444 Nakuru [3]
12. Karuri Municipality (Ruaka + Ndenderu) 194,342 Kiambu [3]
13. Kitale Municipality162,560 Trans Nzoia [4]
14. Juja Municipality156,041 Kiambu [4]
15. Kitengela Municipality (Kitengela + Kisaju)154,643 Kajiado [4]
16. Kiambu Municipality155,896 Kiambu [4]
17. Malindi Municipality119,859 Kilifi [4]
18. Mandera Municipality114,718 Mandera [4]
19. Kisii Municipality112,417 Kisii/Nyamira [4]
20. Kakamega Municipality107,227 Kakamega [4]
21. Mtwapa Municipality90,677 Kilifi [4]
22. Wajir Municipality90,116 Wajir [4]
23. Lodwar Municipality82,970 Turkana [4]
24. Limuru Municipality81,316 Kiambu [4]
25. Meru Municipality80,191 Meru [4]
26. Nyeri Municipality80,081 Nyeri [4]
27. Isiolo Municipality78,650 Isiolo [4]
28. Ukunda Municipality (Diani Municipality)77,686 Kwale [4]
29. Kiserian Town Council76,903 Kajiado [4]
30. Kilifi Municipality74,270 Kilifi [4]
31. Nanyuki Municipality72,813 Laikipia/Nyeri [4]
32. Busia Municipality71,886 Busia [4]
33. Migori Municipality71,668 Migori [4]
34. Bungoma Municipality68,031 Bungoma [4]
35. Narok Municipality65,430 Narok [4]
36. Embu Municipality64,979 Embu [4]
37. Machakos Municipality63,767 Machakos [4]
38. El Wak Municipality60,732 Mandera [4]
39. Gilgil Municipality60,711 Nakuru [4]
40. Kimilili Municipality56,050 Bungoma [4]
41. Kericho Municipality53,804 Kericho [4]
42. Voi Municipality53,353 Taita-Taveta [4]
43. Wanguru Municipality51,722 Kirinyaga [4]
44. Habaswein Town Council49,599 Wajir [4]
45. Turi Municipality48,356 Nakuru [4]
46. Moyale Other Centre47,850 Marsabit [4]
47. Homa Bay Municipality44,949 Homa Bay [4]
48. Kenol Other Centre44,086 Muranga [4]
49. Masalani Town Council43,642 Garissa [4]
50. Muranga Municipality43,314 Muranga [4]
51. Webuye Municipality42,642 Bungoma [4]
52. Njoro Town Council42,173 Nakuru [4]
53. Kapsabet Municipality41,997 Nandi [4]
54. Mumias Municipal41,942 Kakamega [4]
55. Kerugoya-Kutus Municipality39,188 Kirinyaga [4]
56. Nyahururu Municipality37,650 Laikipia/Nyandarua [4]
57. Marsabit Municipality36,289 Marsabit [4]
58. Rhamu Town Council35,644 Mandera [4]
59. Siaya Municipality33,153 Siaya [4]
60. Mariakani Municipality31,715 Kwale/Kilifi [4]
60. Maralal Municipality31,350 Samburu [4]
61. Mairo-Inya Municipality30,527 Nyandarua [4]
62. Kitui Municipality29,062 Kitui [4]
63. Makutano Town Council28,469 West Pokot [4]
64. Elburgon Town Council28,359 Nakuru [4]
65. Watamu Town Council27,857 Kilifi
66. Lamu Municipality25,385 Lamu [4]
67. Kajiado Municipality24,678 Kajiado [4]
68.NyamiraMunicipality24,483 Nyamira [4]
69. Isebania Town Council23,891 Migori [4]
70. Karatina Municipality23,552 Nyeri [4]
71. Kakuma Town Council22,984 Turkana [4]
72. Lafey Town Council22,882 Mandera [4]
73. Bondo Municipality22,712 Siaya [4]
74. Kabarnet Municipality22,474 Baringo [4]
75. Chuka Municipality22,388 Tharaka-Nithi [4]
76. Kehancha Municipality22,194 Migori [4]
77. Maua Municipality22,121 Meru [4]
78. Taveta Town Council22,018 Taita-Taveta [4]
79. Takaba Town Council114,718 Mandera [4]
80. Eldama Ravine Town Council21,385 Baringo [4]
81. Hola Municipality20,912 Tana River [4]
82. Mai Mahiu Other Centre20,823 Nakuru [3]
83. Rongo Municipality20,688 Migori [4]
84. Oyugis Municipality19,947 Homabay [4]
85. Wote Municipality19,725 Makueni [4]
86. Emali Municipality62,404 Makueni/Kajiado [4]
87. Garbatula Other Centre17,443 Isiolo [4]
88. Mbale Other Centre17,404 Vihiga [4]
89. Mwingi Municipality17,025 Kitui [4]
90. Awendo Municipality16,815 Migori [4]
91. Kiminini Town Council16,560 Trans Nzoia [4]
92. Moi's Bridge Other Centre16,355 Uasin Gishu/Trans Nzoia [4]
93. Mazeras Other Centre16,254 Kwale/Kilifi [4]
94. Malaba Municipality15,581 Busia [4]
95. Makindu Town Council15,038 Makueni [4]
96. Banissa Other Centre14,974 Mandera [4]
97. Msambweni Other Centre14,951 Kwale [4]
98. Namanga Other Centre14,922 Kajiado [4]
99. Mbita Municipality14,916 Homa Bay [4]
100. Isinya Other Centre14,429 Kajiado [4]

Distribution

County Number of Cities/ Towns
(Top 100)
Kiambu 7
Kajiado 5
Bungoma, Kericho, Kilifi, Kisumu, Machakos, Nakuru, Kisii 4
Busia, Homa Bay, Kajiado, Kakamega, Laikipia, Migori, Taita-Taveta 3
Embu, Kitui, Meru, Murang'a, Nyamira, Siaya, Turkana, Trans-Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Vihiga 2
Baringo, Bomet, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Garissa, Isiolo, Kirinyaga, Kwale, Mandera, Marsabit, Nandi, Narok, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Samburu, Tharaka-Nithi, Wajir, West Pokot.1

References

  1. ↑ Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (21 February 2020). 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume II: Distribution of Population by Administrative Units (Report). Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. p. 241. Retrieved 20 July 2023. Table 2.5: Distribution of Population by Urban Centres, Sex* and County
  2. ↑ "2019 KPHC – Analytical Report on Population Projections Vol XVI". Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. September 2022. p. 38. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (21 February 2020). 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume II: Distribution of Population by Administrative Units (Report). Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. p. 241. Retrieved 3 March 2020. Distribution of Population by Urban Centres Nairobi City: 4,397,073; Mombasa: 1,208,333; Nakuru: 570,674; Ruiru: 371,111; Eldoret: 475,716; Kisumu: 397,957
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 "2009 Census Vol 1 Table 3 Rural and Urban Population | Open Data Portal". Archived from the original on 29 July 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016. 2009 Census Vol 1 Table 3 Rural and Urban Population Retrieved on 22 January 2014.
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