Number of Households in Kenya by County

A household consists of a person or a group of people who live together under one roof. It also includes individuals residing within a homestead or compound and answering to the same head.

Furthermore, these individuals need to share the same cooking arrangement to be members of one household.

However, individuals do not necessarily need to live in the same dwelling unit to be household members. Polygamous unions, where wives live in different dwelling units but answer to the same head and also share the same cooking arrangement, are considered a single household.^[1]

Similarly, children living in different dwelling units but eating in their parent's homes are considered members of that household.

Quick Facts

1. The total number of households in Kenya was 47,564,296 in 2019.
2. Kenya had an average household size of 3.9 people per household.
3. The most common household type consisted of a couple with children at 32.5% in 2020.
4. Nairobi County had the highest number of households at 1,506,888 households.

Number of households in Kenya

According to the 2019 census, Kenya had a total enumerated population of 47,564,296, consisting of 12,143,913 households.

The average household size in the country was 3.9 people per household.^[2]

Household composition in Kenya by type

The chart below shows the different household types in Kenya and how they have changed over the years.

• In 2020, the largest household type in Kenya consisted of a couple with children at 32.5%.
• The second largest was the extended family, accounting for 25.3% of all household types in 2020.
• One-person households were the third largest households in 2020, at 19.4% of all households.

The smallest household type consisted of households with non-relatives at 4.1%, followed by households consisting of couples only at 6.2%.

Change in household composition over the years

From the chart above, we see that household types have transformed significantly from 1969 to 2020.

• In 1969, the largest household type was the extended family, at 30.4%, which reduced to 25.3% in 2020. 
• We also see that the number of households consisting of couples with children has increased tremendously, from 19.9% in 1969 to 32.5% in 2020, making it the largest household type. 
• One-person households also increased from 12.6% in 1969 to 19.4% in 2020.
• Couples-only households increased from 4% in 1969 to 6.2% in 2020.
• Households comprised of non-relatives declined significantly from 20.8% in 1969 to 4.1% in 2020.

Large populations but fewer households

Often, more populous counties have a higher number of households, as is the case with Nairobi, Kiambu, and Nakuru. However, that is not always the case. Regions with large families, including those with higher fertility rates, tend to have large populations but fewer households.

For instance, the map below shows the average household size by county. Mandera County, with a resident population of 862,079 people, had 125,762 households. This gives an average household size of 6.9 people per household.

 On the other hand, Kirinyaga County, with a resident population of 605,630 people, had 204,188 households. The average household size in Kirinyaga County was three people per household. 

Why regions with higher populations could have fewer households

In Kenya, these dynamics could be accounted for by factors such as the age structure within a specific county and other demographic factors such as fertility rates and the prevalence of polygamy.

In counties with higher fertility rates and polygamy, such as Mandera, where a woman is expected to have at least eight children in her childbearing years, or Wajir, with a fertility rate of 6.7 births per woman, the household will be large.^[3] The population growth rate will also be faster.

In counties like Kirinyaga, populations are less youthful, and fertility rates are low. As a result, many households will be smaller, leading to the county having a low overall population but a higher number of households.

Number of households in Kenya by county

The counties with the highest number of households in Kenya were Nairobi, with 1,506,888 households; Kiambu, 795,241; Nakuru, 616,046; Kakamega, 433,207; Meru, 426,360; and Machakos, 402,466.

The counties with the lowest number of households were Lamu, 37,963; Isiolo, 58,072; Samburu, 65,910; Tana River, 68,242; Marsabit, 77,495, and Taita Taveta, 96,429.

The table below shows the households in Kenya by County in 2019.

+ Excludes the special population (travelers, outdoor sleepers, individuals in hotels and lodges, and persons in institutions).

See Also

1. Average Household Size in Kenya by County
2. The Population of Kenya 2025
3. The Population Density of Kenya by County
4. The Population of Kenya 2019
5. Number of Children in Kenya per Woman: Fertility Rates in Kenya

References