List of counties of Kenya by population

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This is a list of Kenyan counties by population, ranked according to the latest estimate. Past census data (1969, 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009 and 2019) is included for comparison. The counties of Kenya were created by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya and their size and boundaries are based on 1992 districts.

Rank (2023)CountyPopulation 2023 [1] Population 2019 [1] [2] Population 2009 [1] Population 1999 [1] Population 1989 [1] Population 1979 [1] Percent of total (2023)
1 Nairobi County 4,750,0564,397,0733,138,3692,143,2541,324,570827,7759.22%
2 Kiambu County 2,652,8802,417,7351,623,2821,389,723914,412686,2905.15%
3 Nakuru County 2,347,8492,162,2021,603,3251,187,039849,096522,7094.56%
4 Kakamega County 2,002,4351,867,5791,660,6511,296,270......3.89%
5 Bungoma County 1,786,9731,670,5701,375,0631,011,524679,146503,9353.47%
6 Meru County 1,625,9821,545,7141,356,3011,102,930......3.16%
7 Kilifi County 1,577,3351,453,7871,109,735825,855591,903430,9863.06%
8 Machakos County 1,487,7581,421,9321,098,584906,644......2.89%
9 Kisii County 1,344,9071,266,8601,152,282952,725......2.61%
10 Mombasa County 1,311,8601,208,333939,370665,018461,753341,1482.55%
11 Narok County 1,284,2041,157,873850,920536,341398,272210,3062.49%
12 Kajiado County 1,268,2611,117,840687,312406,054258,659149,0052.46%
13 Uasin Gishu County 1,257,3301,163,186894,179622,705445,530300,7662.44%
14 Kisumu County 1,248,4741,155,574968,909804,289664,086482,3272.42%
15 Migori County 1,234,0821,116,436917,170666,784......2.40%
16 Homa Bay County 1,231,6591,131,950963,794751,332......2.39%
17 Kitui County 1,229,7901,136,1871,012,709819,250652,603464,2832.39%
18 Murang'a County 1,112,2881,056,640942,581736,273858,063648,3332.16%
19 Trans-Nzoia County 1,069,039990,341818,757575,662393,682259,5032.07%
20 Siaya County 1,059,458993,183842,304718,964639,439474,5162.06%
21 Makueni County 1,042,300987,653884,527771,545......2.02%
22 Turkana County 1,022,773926,976855,399450,860184,060142,7021.98%
23 Busia County 968,763893,681743,946552,099401,658297,8411.88%
24 Mandera County 959,236867,4571,025,756250,372123,787105,6011.86%
25 Kericho County 954,896901,777752,396.........1.85%
26 Nandi County 951,460885,711752,965578,751433,613299,3191.85%
27 Kwale County 944,464866,820649,931496,133383,053288,3631.83%
28 Bomet County 939,761875,689730,129.........1.82%
29 Garissa County 927,031841,353623,060392,510124,835128,8671.80%
30 Wajir County 870,636781,263661,941319,261122,769139,3191.69%
31 Nyeri County 835,408759,164693,558661,156607,292486,4771.62%
32 Baringo County 733,333666,763555,561403,141347,990203,7921.42%
33 Nyandarua County 695,531638,289596,268479,902345,420233,3021.35%
34 West Pokot County 676,326621,241512,690308,086225,449158,6521.31%
35 Nyamira County 657,502605,576598,252498,102......1.28%
36 Kirinyaga County 653,112610,411528,054457,105391,516291,4311.27%
37 Embu County 648,425608,599516,212449,149370,138263,1731.26%
38 Vihiga County 625,765590,013554,622498,883......1.21%
39 Laikipia County 561,223518,560399,227322,187218,957134,5241.09%
40 Marsabit County 515,292459,785291,166174,957129,26296,2161.00%
41 Elgeyo-Marakwet County 495,239454,480369,998284,494216,487148,8680.96%
42 Tharaka-Nithi County 416,383393,177365,330306,443......0.81%
43 Taita–Taveta County 363,990340,671284,657246,671207,273147,5970.71%
44 Tana River County 352,549315,943240,075180,901128,42692,4010.68%
45 Samburu County 348,298310,327223,947143,547108,88476,9080.68%
46 Isiolo County 315,937268,002143,294100,86170,07843,4780.61%
47 Lamu County 167,332143,920101,53972,68656,78342,2990.32%
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 51,525,60247,564,29638,610,09728,686,60721,443,63615,327,061100%

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samburu County</span> County in Kenya

Samburu County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province, Kenya which covers an area of roughly 21,000 km2 (8,000 mi2) in northern Kenya where the Samburu, Turkana and many other tribes live. It stretches north from the Wuaso Ng'iro River to the south of Lake Turkana. According to the 2019 census, the county has a population of 310,327.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meru County</span> County in Kenya

Meru County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya. It borders Isiolo County to the north, Tharaka-Nithi County to the South, Nyeri County to the southwest and Laikipia County to the west. The home of the Meru people, Meru County has a population of 1.35 million people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Busia County</span> County in Kenya

Busia is a county in the former Western Province of Kenya. It borders Kakamega County to the east, Bungoma County to the north, Lake Victoria and Siaya County to the south and Uganda's Busia District to the west. The county population was 893,861, as of 2019. It spans about 1,700 square kilometers, making it one of the smallest counties in Kenya. Busia is inhabited by the Luhya tribe and the Teso of Kenya, and small groups of the Luo. The Luhya communities include the Abakhayo, Marachi, Samia and Abanyala communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kericho County</span> County in Kenya

Kericho County is one of the 47 counties in Kenya. The county seats between longitude 35°02' and 35°40' East and between the equator and latitude 0°23' South with an altitude of about 2002m above sea level. It borders Uasin Gishu County to the North West, Baringo County to the North-East, Nandi County to the North-West, Nakuru County to the East and Bomet County to the South, Kisumu County to the Northwest and Nyamira County to the West. It has a population of 901,777 and an area of 2,111 km². Its capital and largest town is Kericho.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narok County</span> County in Kenya

Narok County is a county in southwestern Kenya with an estimated population of 1,157,873 according to 2019 Census. The dominant ethnic group is the Maasai. Its capital and largest town is Narok, with the only other major urban centre being Kilgoris. Narok County Government was formed by the County Governments Act of 2012 as prescribed in the 2010 Constitution of Kenya. Narok County governor is Patrick Ole Ntutu after winning in the 2022 elections and his Deputy is Tamalinye K. Koech.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiambu County</span> Place in Kenya

Kiambu County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya. Its capital is Kiambu and its largest town is Thika town. Kiambu County is the second most populous county in Kenya after Nairobi County. Kiambu County borders Nairobi and Kajiado Counties to the South, Machakos to the East, Murang'a to the North and North East, Nyandarua to the North West, and Nakuru to the West. It has a population of 2,417,735.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilifi County</span> Coastal county in Kenya

Kilifi County was formed in 2010 as a result of a merger of Kilifi District and Malindi District, Kenya. Its capital is Kilifi and its largest town is Malindi. Kilifi county is one of the five counties that make up the Kenyan Coast. The county has a population of 1,453,787 people following the 2019 census which covers an area of 12,245.90 km2 (4,728.17 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marsabit County</span> County in Kenya

Marsabit County is a county in Kenya. Covering a surface area of 66,923.1 square kilometres. Marsabit is the second largest county by size in Kenya after Turkana county which has an area of 71,597.8 km2. Its capital is Marsabit and its largest town is Moyale. According to the 2019 census, the county has a population of 459,785. It is bordered to the North by Ethiopia, to the West by Turkana County to the South by Samburu County and Isiolo County, and to the East by Wajir County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taita–Taveta County</span> County in Kenya

Taita–Taveta County is a county in Kenya. Located approximately 200 km northwest of Mombasa, and 360 km southeast of Nairobi, it is a port and major gateway to the United Republic of Tanzania through Taveta. The county headquarters are located in Mwatate. It is one of the six counties in the Coastal region of Kenya. Major towns include Voi, Taveta, Mwatate, and Wundanyi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isiolo County</span> County in Kenya

Isiolo County is a county in the former Eastern Province of Kenya. Its population is 268,002 and its capital and largest city is Isiolo. Isiolo County is to be the first county to be developed as part of the Kenya Vision 2030 program. Other upcoming urban centres are: Garbatulla, Modogashe, Kinna, Merti and Oldonyiro.The county is home to Sakuye and Borana tribes but also has a significant number of people from Turkana, Samburu, Gabra, Garre and Meru communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyamira County</span> County in Kenya

Nyamira County is a county in the former Nyanza Province of Kenya. Formally a district, Nyamira was hived off Kisii District in 1989, and it shares common boundaries with what was known as Nyamira District. The main cash crops grown are bananas and tea. The county has a population of 605,576. Its capital and largest town is Nyamira, with an urban population of around 41,668 The county is also referred to as North Kisii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kajiado County</span> County in Kenya

Kajiado County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. As of 2019, Kajiado county spanned an area of 21,292.7 km2, with a recorded population of 1,117,840. The county borders Nairobi and to its south it borders the Tanzanian regions of Arusha and Kilimanjaro. The county capital is Kajiado, but the largest town is Ongata Rongai. Its main tourist attraction is its wildlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vihiga County</span> County in Kenya

Vihiga County is an administrative region in the former Western Province of Kenya whose headquarters are in Mbale, the largest town in the county. The county has a population of 554,622 and an area of 563 km2. Formerly a district, Vihiga was split from Kakamega District in 1990. In 2019's census, Vihiga was found to have a population of 590,013, an increase of 35,391 from 2009's count.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garissa County</span> County in Kenya

Garissa County is an administrative county in Kenya. It is located in Eastern Kenya bordering Somalia to the East, Wajir County and Isiolo County to the North, Tana River County to the West and Lamu County to the South. Its capital and largest urban area is Garissa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandera County</span> County in Kenya

Mandera County is one of the counties in Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Mandera. The county is bordered by Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the east and Wajir County to the southwest. According to the 2019 census, the county has a population of 1,200,890 and an area of 25,939.8 square kilometres (10,015.4 sq mi). The main economic activity in the county is pastoralism, while others include cross-border trade with Ethiopia, artisanal mining, beekeeping, and agriculture along the Dawa River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wajir County</span> County in Kenya

Wajir County is a county in the former North Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Wajir. The county has a population of 781,263 and an area of 55,840.6 km2 (21,560.2 sq mi). The county is bordered to the north by Ethiopia, to the northeast by Mandera County, to the east by Somalia, to the south by Garissa County, to the west by Isiolo County and to the northwest by Marsabit County. The county has six constituencies: Wajir South, Tarbaj, Wajir North, Wajir West, Wajir East, and Eldas.

Rongai Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of eleven constituencies in Nakuru County. The constituency has eight wards, all electing councillors for the Nakuru County Assembly. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections when it was carved out of Nakuru North Constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kisii County</span> County in Kenya

Kisii County is a county in the former Nyanza Province in southwestern Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Kisii. The county has a population of 1,266,860 people. It borders Nyamira County to the North East, Narok County to the South, and Homa bay and Migori Counties to the West. The county covers an area of 1,318 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nairobi City County</span> County of Kenya

Nairobi City County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya. With an estimated population of 5,454,000 in 2024, it is the third smallest yet the most populous of the counties, also serving as the capital of Kenya. In 2013, the county entity was effected, replacing Nairobi City Council, the long-standing unit of administration since pre-independence. The city county consists of eleven gazetted sub-counties and eighty five electoral wards. On the national level, Nairobi also sends seventeen Members of Parliament across the constituencies and one County Woman Representative to the National Assembly; one senator to the Senate. The county government, which is allocated devolved functions as per the constitution, is headed by the county governor, who appoints his cabinet. The county's legislature is headed by the County Speaker, who presides over the County Assembly: single-member elected Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) represent their respective electoral wards. Additional MCAs are also nominated by political parties as a form of affirmative action.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Kenya: Division (Provinces and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
  2. "2019 KENYA POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS: VOLUME I: POPULATION BY COUNTY AND SUB-COUNTY" (PDF). Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 24 May 2024.