The hardcore poverty rate is the percentage of people or households whose total monthly consumption expenditure, including food, clothes, and other expenses, was lower than the food poverty line.
In Kenya, the food poverty line in urban areas was Ksh 3,520 per month, and in rural areas, Ksh 2,668 in 2022.[1] Therefore, if an individual's total consumption expenditures within a month were lower than these poverty lines, then they are considered to be in hardcore poverty.
Quick Facts
- The hardcore poverty rate in Kenya rose from 5.8% in 2021 to 7.1% in 2022.
- The number of people in hardcore poverty was 3.6 million in 2022.
- Hardcore poverty was 9.3% in rural areas and 2.4% in urban areas.
Hardcore poverty was on a slow decline until 2022
Kenya’s hardcore poverty rate in 2022 was 7.1%, an increase from 5.8% in 2021. In 2022, 3.6 million people lived in hardcore poverty.
In urban areas, the hardcore poverty rate was 2.4% in 2022, an increase from 1.5% in 2021. There were 387,000 people living in hardcore poverty in urban areas in that year.
In rural areas, the hardcore poverty rate increased from 7.8% in 2021 to 9.3% in 2022. The number of people living in hardcore poverty in 2022 was 3.2 million.
The chart below shows the hardcore poverty rate in Kenya by area of residence from 2015/2016 to 2022.
Top 10 counties with the highest hardcore poverty rates
The hardcore poverty rate differs by county, with Turkana County having the highest hardcore poverty rate of 42.6% and Kiambu County having 0% hardcore poverty.
Counties with the highest hardcore poverty rates were:
- Turkana 42.6%
- Samburu 36%
- Marsabit 26.2%
- Mandera 24.8%
- Tana River 22.7%
- Garissa 21.1%
- Busia 18.4%
- West Pokot 16.8%
- Elgeyo Marakwet 13.5%
- Kwale 12.4%
Counties with the lowest hardcore poverty rates were Kiambu (0%), Kirinyaga (0.3%), Embu (0.4%), Mombasa (1.0%), Nairobi (1.3%), Taita Taveta (1.7%), Narok (2.2%), Machakos (2.2%), Nyeri (2.4%), and Murang’a (2.5%).
Hardcore poverty rate – ranking by county
The chart below shows changing hardcore poverty rates between counties. In some counties, hardcore poverty increased while in others, it reduced.
Kiambu County moved from position seven in 2021, with a hardcore poverty rate of 0.7%, to position one in 2021, with a rate of 0%.[2]
Nakuru County moved from position one in 2021, with a hardcore poverty rate of 0.1%, to position fourteen, with a hardcore poverty rate of 3.7%.
See Also
- How to Measure Poverty in Kenya
- Number of people who cannot food in Kenya
- Overall headcount poverty rate in Kenya by county
- Poverty rates in Kenya by constituency
- Wealth Inequality in Kenya by County
