Isiolo County

Introduction

Isiolo County is located in Eastern Province and had a total population of 323,000 in 2024. According to the 2019 census, the county had a total population of 268,002 people, comprising 58,072 households, and an average household size of 4.6 people per household.

Isiolo County has a total land area of 25,350.6 square kilometres and a population density of 11 people per square kilometre. 

Isiolo County is bordered to the North by Marsabit, to the East by Wajir, to the South East by Garissa, to the South by Tana River, to the South West by Meru and Laikipia, and to the West by Samburu County.

Sub-counties in Isiolo County include Garba Tulla, Isiolo, and Merti.

Isiolo County Economy

Isiolo County had an average Gross County Product at current prices of Ksh 31.5 billion between 2018 and 2022, representing an average county contribution to Gross Value Added of 0.3%.

The county contributed, on average, 0.2% to agriculture, forestry, and fishing activities. It also contributed 0.1% to manufacturing and 0.3% to service activities.

Isiolo County had a Gross County Product per capita of Ksh 102,008 in 2022.

Poverty Rates

Isiolo County had an overall headcount poverty rate of 53.9% in 2021, with 152,000 people estimated to live in poverty. By comparison, the overall headcount poverty rate in Kenya in the same year was 38.6%.

The hardcore poverty rate in Isiolo County was 7.2% in 2021, with an estimated 20,000 people living in extreme poverty. In Kenya, the hardcore poverty rate in the same year was 5.8%.

Isiolo had a food poverty rate of 28.9%, with 81,000 people estimated to live in food poverty. Overall, Kenya had a food poverty rate of 30.5% in 2021.

The map below shows the distribution of poverty by constituency in Isiolo County in 2019: Isiolo North 47.8% and Isiolo South 59.6%.

In 2021, the mean monthly food and non-food expenditures in Isiolo County were Ksh 4,095 and Ksh 1,447, respectively. The percentage share of expenditure on food was 78.2%, while the percentage share on non-food items was 23.8%. 

The major sources of food expenditure in Isiolo County were purchase or stock 88.4%, own production 4.2%, and gifts 7.5%.

The mean and median per adult equivalent expenditure in Isiolo County were Ksh 5,540 and Ksh 4,615, respectively, in 2021.

Isiolo County Demographics

Isiolo County had a total population of 268,002 people in 2019, consisting of 139,510 males, 128,483 females, and 9 intersex. Isiolo had a median age of 15 years in 2019.

The table below shows the population distribution in Isiolo County by sex and sub-county in 2019.

Marital Status

The percentage of women aged 12 and above in Isiolo County who were never married was 37.4% in 2019, while those who were married monogamous was 48.7%. The distribution of those married polygamous was 4.2%, and the widowed were 5.4%. The distribution of the divorced and separated in Isiolo was 2.5% and 1.6%, respectively, in 2019.

Among married men in Isiolo aged 12 and above, the percentage distribution of the never-married was 51.1%, those married monogamous 41.2%, and those in polygamous unions were 4.4%. On the other hand, the widowed in Isiolo were 0.9%, the divorced 1.3%, and the separated 1%.

According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, the median age at first marriage among women in Isiolo County aged 25-49 in 2022 was 20 years, while the median age at first marriage among men aged 30-54 in Isiolo was 24.9 years.

Polygyny

The percentage distribution of women aged 15-49 in Isiolo County who had one or more co-wives was 11.1% in 2022, with 88.9% having no co-wives, 10% having a single co-wife, and 1.1% having more than two co-wives.

Among men aged 15-49 in Isiolo County, 93.4% had one wife, and 6.6% had more than two wives in 2022.

Marriage Registration

The percentage distribution of currently married women aged 15-49 in Isiolo County whose marriage was registered with the civil authorities was 40.3% in 2022, while those whose marriage was registered and had a marriage certificate was 28.9%.

Teenage Marriages

The proportion of married males aged 12-15 and 12-18 in Isiolo County was 4.8% and 5%, respectively, in 2019. On the other hand, the proportion of married females of the same age groups was 5.3% and 10.4%, respectively.

The rate of teenage pregnancies in Isiolo County, consisting of women aged 15-19 who have ever been pregnant, was 16.7% in 2022.

Total fertility Rate

Isiolo County had a Total Fertility Rate of 4.1 births per woman in 2019, a decline of 20.4% from a Total Fertility Rate of 5.2 births per woman in 2009. By comparison, Kenya had a total fertility rate of 3.4 births per woman in 2019, a decline of 28.6% from a TFR of 4.8 births per woman in 2009.

The total youth fertility rate of women aged 15-24 in Isiolo was 1.1 births per woman. The national youth fertility rate was 1 birth per woman in 2019.

Isiolo County had a crude birth rate of 27.9 births per 1,000 people in 2019, a decline of 33.8% from a crude birth rate of 42.1% in 2009. Overall, Kenya had a Crude Birth Rate of 27.9 births per 1,000 population in 2019, a decline of 27.2% from a crude birth rate of 38.4 births per 1,000 population in 2009.

Place of Birth and Notification Status

The share of recent births in Isiolo County occurring in a health facility was 70.7% in 2019, while those occurring in a non-health facility were 29%. In Kenya, the share of recent births occurring in a health facility was 85.8%. In comparison, those not happening in a health facility were 14%.

The share of recent births in Isiolo that were notified was 81.4% in 2019, while those not notified were 18.4%. In Kenya, the share of recent births that were notified in 2019 was 90.4%, while those not notified were 9.3%. 

Place of Death and Notification Status

In 2019, 41.5% of deaths in Isiolo County occurred in a health facility, while 57.3% occurred in the community. In Kenya, 59% of deaths in 2019 occurred in a health facility, while 40% did not occur in a health facility.

The share of deaths in Isiolo County that were notified in 2019 was 57.6%. Overall, the share of deaths that were notified in Kenya in 2019 was 85.6%.

Isiolo County had a Crude Death Rate (CDR) of 10.6 deaths per 1,000 population in 2019. Overall, Kenya had a Crude Death Rate of 10.5%.

Religious Affiliation

The majority of residents of Isiolo County are Islam 193,775, followed by Catholic 32,608, and Protestant 18,583.

Development

1. The Rural Access Index (RAI) in Isiolo County was 36%, representing the percentage of the population living within two kilometres of an all-weather road in 2019.
2. Household access to electricity in Isiolo County was 40.6% in 2019, up from 18.5% in 2009.
3. Household access to improved sanitation in Isiolo County was 62.1% in 2019, up from 42.1% in 2009.
4. Household access to safe drinking water in Isiolo County was 65.1% in 2019, up from 60.9% in 2009.
5. Isiolo had 37.3% of its public primary schools connected to electricity, ranking 38^th nationally in 2019.

The share of the population in Isiolo County owning mobile phones in 2019 was 38.2%. Among women, 79.4% owned any type of mobile phone in Isiolo County in 2022, while 40.2% owned a smartphone.

Among men, 89.8% in Isiolo owned any kind of mobile phone in 2022, while 58.6% owned a smartphone. The percentage of men and women who had used a mobile phone for financial transactions in the year preceding the 2022 KDHS survey was 92.9% and 74.9%, respectively^.

See Also

1. Marsabit County
2. Meru County
3. Tharaka Nithi County
4. Embu County

References

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