Households in Kenya can be characterized based on the sex of the household head. Since the head makes crucial decisions on behalf of the family or household, the characteristics of household heads also determine their welfare.[1]
Kenya has households headed by men, women, and children, with those headed by men being the majority.
Quick Facts
- The proportion of households headed by men in 2022 was 66.1%.
- The proportion of households headed by women in 2022 was 33.9%.
- In urban areas, 69.2% of households were headed by men in 2022.
- Female-headed households in urban areas were 30.8% in 2022.
- Male-headed households in rural areas were 64.1% in 2022.
- Female-headed households in rural areas were 35.9%.
What is a household?
A household consists of an individual or group of people who live together under one roof. It also includes people who live in the same homestead or compound and answer to the same head.
As a result, people in the same household do not necessarily need to live in the same dwelling unit or house. However, they need to share the same cooking arrangements.[2]
Contrary to popular belief, household members do not necessarily need to be related by blood and do not have to be members of the same family. However, most households typically consist of family members.
A female-headed household is, therefore, not necessarily a single-mother household, even though all single-mother households are female-headed households.