Kenya’s housing landscape continues to reflect deep regional inequalities, with new data showing more than half of households in several counties still rely on mud or cow dung as their main walling material. The figures, drawn from national household statistics, underline persistent poverty gaps, slow rural infrastructure growth and uneven access to durable construction materials.

While Kenya has made progress in urban housing, rural regions remain dominated by traditional structures. The data also provides a revealing window into county-level economic disparities, livelihood patterns, climatic factors and the accessibility of affordable building materials.

Counties in the western and Rift Valley regions dominate the list of areas where mud or cow dung remains the main walling material. These materials are traditionally popular because they are readily available and inexpensive, but the high proportions also highlight limited income diversification, underinvestment in rural housing and slower pace of urbanisation.

In stark contrast, wealthier and more urbanised counties such as Nairobi, Kiambu, Nyeri and Machakos report the lowest shares of mud-walled households, reflecting better access to formal housing markets, higher household incomes and broader availability of cement-based construction.

Why Mud Walling Remains Prevalent in Some Regions

Several factors drive these regional disparities:

1. Poverty and income levels:
Counties with the highest reliance on mud walling also tend to have higher poverty rates. The cost of bricks, blocks, sand, cement and timber remains prohibitive for many rural households whose income is tied to subsistence farming.

2. Access to construction materials:
Proximity to sand mines, quarries and cement distribution hubs influences the cost of modern building materials. Coastal and central Kenya, which have better infrastructural connections and active construction sectors, record lower mud-wall usage.

3. Cultural and climatic influences:
Communities in western Kenya and parts of the Rift Valley have long traditions of mud-based housing that align with local weather patterns and traditional architecture.

4. County-level investment priorities:
Counties with strong housing improvement programs or partnerships with private developers show lower dependence on mud structures.

National Housing Inequality in Numbers

The sharp contrast between counties tells a clear story. West Pokot, Kakamega and Vihiga top the list, each with more than 70 percent of households living in mud-walled homes. Meanwhile, Kiambu, Machakos and Nairobi report less than 1 percent.

Below is the complete county ranking.

---

Percentage of Kenyan Households Whose Main Walling Material Is Mud or Cow Dung, by County (2024)

Rank	County	Percent (%)
1	West Pokot	74.8
2	Kakamega	71.7
3	Vihiga	70.4
4	Busia	60.8
5	Narok	60.7
6	Kisii	60.3
7	Nyamira	60.3
8	Nandi	59.6
9	Trans Nzoia	59.5
10	Bungoma	59.5
11	Homa Bay	58.4
12	Siaya	57.6
13	Migori	56.8
14	Samburu	52.6
15	Bomet	51.5
16	Kwale	46.3
17	Kisumu	43.3
18	Lamu	40.8
19	Kericho	40.6
20	Kilifi	38.8
21	Tana River	38
22	Elgeyo Marakwet	36.6
23	Baringo	36.5
24	Uasin Gishu	33.9
25	Isiolo	30.8
26	Turkana	28.5
27	Tharaka Nithi	26.9
28	Nakuru	24.6
29	Marsabit	20.5
30	Laikipia	19.7
31	Taita Taveta	19.6
32	Nyandarua	17.7
33	Embu	16
34	Garissa	13.5
35	Kajiado	12.1
36	Kitui	11.6
37	Kirinyaga	10.4
38	Mandera	10.1
39	Wajir	9.8
40	Murang’a	7.4
41	Meru	5.1
42	Mombasa	5
43	Makueni	3.5
44	Nyeri	1.7
45	Nairobi	1.6
46	Machakos	0.8
47	Kiambu	0.6

---

What the Data Means for Businesses and Policymakers

The data highlights several critical implications:

1. Housing quality remains a major development challenge.
Counties with high mud-wall usage are likely to face higher vulnerability to storms, floods and structural collapse, especially as climate change accelerates extreme weather.

2. Large untapped markets for affordable construction materials.
The demand for low-cost yet durable building materials presents opportunities for cement companies, brick makers, roofing sheet manufacturers and microfinance institutions offering home-improvement loans.

3. Urban-rural inequality remains stubborn.
The near-zero mud-wall rates in Nairobi, Kiambu and Machakos reflect more formal housing markets, while rural counties still depend heavily on traditional construction.

4. County housing policies need targeted investment.
Housing reforms need to be localised. Central and coastal counties require different interventions compared to western and Rift Valley regions.

5. Housing quality directly affects health and safety.
Mud-walled homes often have poorer ventilation and structural strength. This influences disease prevalence, indoor air quality and household safety during heavy rains.

Regional Comparisons

Western Kenya leads in mud-based houses:
Vihiga, Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, and Kisii all appear in the top 15, highlighting persistent structural poverty.

Rift Valley counties split sharply:
Turkana and West Pokot remain heavily dependent on mud structures, but Nakuru and Uasin Gishu have relatively low shares, reflecting urbanisation around Eldoret and Nakuru towns.

Coastal counties vary:
Kwale and Kilifi record high rates, while Mombasa has only 5 percent, showing how urban ports differ from semi-urban and rural coastal regions.

Urban counties lead in modern materials:
Nairobi at 1.6 percent and Kiambu at 0.6 percent demonstrate the country’s most advanced housing markets.

Kenya’s housing inequality remains stark, with millions still living in traditional mud-walled homes despite national efforts to improve housing standards. The full dataset underscores the need for targeted county-level policy interventions, private-sector innovation in low-cost construction and expanded access to finance for home upgrades.

The numbers highlight an urgent development priority. Without sustained investments, rural housing quality will continue to lag behind urban centres, deepening structural inequality across regions.