The 2025/26 Kenya Mini Demographic and Health Survey shows that households in some parts of the country enjoy significantly better living conditions than others

The differences are particularly stark in education. Garissa has the highest proportion of women aged six and above without formal education, at 61.6 per cent. Mandera follows at 59.8 per cent, Turkana at 59.6 per cent and Wajir at 59.3 per cent./HANDOUT

Where a child is born in Kenya strongly shapes their access to education, healthcare, electricity, and other essential services, with a new national survey exposing deep inequalities between counties.

The challenge also affects men. More than half of men in Garissa, at 52.4 per cent, have no education. Wajir follows at 43.8 per cent, while Mandera records 42.9 per cent.

The situation is markedly different in central Kenya and parts of the Rift Valley. Kiambu has the lowest proportion of women without education at 4.4 per cent, followed by Uasin Gishu and Nandi at 4.9 per cent each. Machakos records 5.3 per cent, while Murang’a stands at 5.6 per cent.

The differences are also reflected in the number of years people spend in school. Women in Kiambu have an average of eight years of schooling, compared with four years in Mandera. Kiambu also leads nationally among men, with an average of 8.9 years.

In Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Turkana, West Pokot and Samburu, the median years of schooling are 5.5 or fewer for women and between 5.2 and 6.2 for men.

Nationally, 12 per cent of women and eight per cent of men aged six and above have never attended school. However, the survey points to progress over the years. The proportion of women without education has fallen from 23 per cent in 2003 to 12 per cent in 2025/26, while the figure for men has dropped from 16 per cent to eight per cent.

Education levels are also linked to household wealth. The share of people with education beyond secondary school rises from less than one per cent among women and men in the poorest households to 15 per cent among women and 23 per cent among men in the wealthiest category.

The survey further reveals inequalities in children's access to legal identity through birth registration.

Although 77 per cent of children under five have their births registered nationally, the figures vary widely across counties. Embu leads at 96 per cent, while Mandera has the lowest rate at 44 per cent.

Children in urban areas are more likely to be registered than those in rural households, at 83 per cent and 74 per cent respectively. The difference is even wider when it comes to obtaining birth certificates. Half of registered children in urban areas have certificates, compared with 30 per cent in rural areas.

West Pokot and Samburu record the lowest proportions of children with birth certificates at 12 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. Lamu has the highest rate at 60 per cent.

Household income also influences registration. The proportion of children whose births are registered rises from 62 per cent in the poorest households to 89 per cent in the wealthiest.

The report says birth registration has improved steadily, rising from 60 per cent in the 2008/09 survey to 77 per cent in 2025/26. Rural areas have recorded faster progress, with registration increasing from 57 per cent to 74 per cent over the same period.

It notes that official registration establishes children's legal identity, helping protect their rights and enabling access to government services.

Access to electricity and clean cooking energy presents another picture of inequality.

Seven in every 10 households nationally have electricity. However, coverage stands at 94 per cent in urban areas, compared with 50 per cent in rural areas.

Only 37 per cent of households use clean fuels and technologies for cooking. The proportion rises to 70 per cent in urban areas but falls to just nine per cent in rural areas.

Firewood remains the main cooking fuel in rural households, where it is used by 79 per cent of families. In urban areas, charcoal is more common, accounting for 17 per cent.

Nairobi leads in the use of clean fuels and technologies for cooking, heating and lighting, at 81 per cent. Kiambu follows at 75 per cent and Kajiado at 52 per cent.

The figures are considerably lower in northern and western counties. Wajir records just one per cent, while West Pokot, Turkana, Mandera and Samburu each stand at about two per cent.

Healthcare access also reflects the country's economic and regional gaps. The survey estimates that 40 per cent of Kenyans have some form of health insurance, with coverage at 44 per cent in urban areas and 38 per cent in rural areas.

Insurance coverage rises with household wealth, from 24 per cent among the poorest to 52 per cent among the wealthiest.

Nyeri records the highest county coverage, particularly in Social Health Authority registration, at 67 per cent. Tana River has the lowest at 14 per cent, while Garissa and Mandera record 23 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.

The disparities are also visible in housing conditions. Nationally, 48 per cent of households have cement floors, while 21 per cent use ceramic tiles. However, 17 per cent have earth or sand floors and 12 per cent use dung.

In rural areas, 28 per cent of households have earth or sand floors, while 21 per cent use dung. The corresponding figures in urban areas are four per cent and less than one per cent.

The survey also shows that nearly half of Kenyan households have only one sleeping room. The proportion is higher in urban areas, at 66 per cent, compared with 35 per cent in rural areas.

The findings underline how education, household wealth and geographical location continue to shape living standards, with significant differences in access to opportunities and essential services across the country.