Kenya National Bureau of Statistics released the latest Gross County Product (GCP) updates on 6th May 2022. This is the data we use to quantify the richest counties in Kenya 2023.
This publication uses Gross County Product (GCP) at Constant Prices KSh million.
Richest Counties in Kenya 2023
1. Nairobi – KSh 2,267,447 million
Nairobi leads the richest counties in Kenya 2023, with a GCP of KSh 2,267,447 million. It was a slight 0.02% drop from 2019’s GCP of KSh 2,268,114 million. As of 2019, the county had 4,337,080 in population. This high number of residents was one core contributor to this high GCP.
The second contributor to Nairobi’s high GCP is its city status. This attracts many from other counties and abroad for business purposes hence an economic hub of Kenya.
2. Kiambu – KSh 453,872 million
Kiambu comes in second as Kenya’s richest county, with a GCP of KSh 453,872 million. The county’s GCP dropped by 0.85% from 2019’s GCP of KSh 457,744 million.
The county is home to most people who work in Nairobi. Furthermore, it has rich arable land implying its agricultural produce contributed significantly to this GCP. The county’s population of 1,053,059 residents was also high per the 2019’s census.
3. Mombasa – KSh 402,373 million
Mombasa is a travel destination for many Kenyans and tourists from Abroad. As the third richest county in the country, Mombasa had KSh 402,373 million GCP as of 2020 record. This was a notable 3.3% decline from the 2019 GCP of KSh 416,151 million.
Mombasa is among the top counties’ GCP because of the port. Port of Mombasa makes the county a key economic hub for Kenya. Inland companies like Uganda, DRC, and South Sudan use this port for their cargo.
1,190,987 in population is also a high number to have contributed substantially to the county’s GCP.
4. Nakuru – KSh 388,539 million
In the fourth position of the Richest city in Kenya is Nakuru, with a GCP of KSh 388,539 million in 2020. This dropped by 0.77% from the 2019 GCP of KSh 391,562 million. Unlike Kiambu and Mombasa counties that top, it has a higher population than these two. As of 2019, the county had 2,142,667 residents.
Nakuru is a county headed for more GCP growth in the future. On 1st December 2021, Nakuru town was awarded a city charter by then president H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta.
5. Machakos – KSh 265,962 million
It is a county that would shock you that it would be among the top on the list. Considering the harsh climate in the county, being the fifth richest is an exceptional performance. Machakos county got itself at this position with KSh 265,962 million in GCP.
It is the first in our list to increase its GCP from 2019 to 2020. In 2019, the county’s GCP was KSh 264,050 million, implying that 2020’s GCP was a 0.72% increase.
The county performed many because of its vibrant commercial urban center, Machakos town. A population of 1,414,022 was yet another key contributor to this commendable GCP.
6. Meru – KSh 243,190 million
Meru county is known to many because of khat (miraa) farming. Meru had a GCP of KSh 243,190 million, a 0.3% increase from the 2019 GCP of KSh 242,357 million.
This county of 1,535,635 people earned sixth place courtesy of agricultural activities and vibrant commercial Meru town. This is a combination that most counties do not have in Kenya.
7. Kisumu – KSh 210,540 million
Kisumu, the “Lakeside City,” is the seventh richest city in Kenya, with a GCP of KSh 210,540 million. It is the second after Nyeri in the list of ten richest counties, with a substantial increase in GCP from 2019 to 2020. The county recorded a 1.55% increase in GCP from 2019’s KSh 207,32 million GCP.
Many odds favor Kisumu to perform even better in the future.
- One, the county has one of four cities in Kenya, Kisumu City.
- Two, residents of this county have arable land that they can leverage to increase their agricultural output.
- Three, Kisumu is also favored by the population of 1,144,777 people.
8. Uasin-Gishu – KSh 189,017 million
This is where residents practice large-scale maize farming in Kenya. In 2020, Uasin-Gishu county had KSh 189,017 million in GCP. It was a 1.35% drop from 2019’s GCP of KSh 191,598 million.
Uasin-Gishu county can top the list because several factors favor it.
- First, it has a vibrant and fast-growing commercial town, Eldoret.
- Second, the population of 1,152,671 also favors the county’s potential for a higher GCP in the future.
9. Kakamega – KSh 169,332 million
Kakamega is the ninth richest county in Kenya, with 2020’s GCP of KSh 169,332 million, a 0.49% drop from 2019. Even though the county does not have a vibrant commercial town like Eldoret, it has highly productive arable lands.
The couty had 1,861,332 people as of 2019, higher than Mombasa, Machakos, Meru Kisumu, and Uasin-Gishu, all richer Kakamega county.
10. Nyeri – KSh 164,267 million
The county’s major economic pillar is agricultural. Farmers in Nyeri county have access to the market for their onions, cabbages, milk, potatoes, and other agricultural produce.
As of 2020, the GCP of Nyeri was KSh 164,267 million. This was a 2.21% increase from 2019’s KSh 160,715 million GCP, the highest increase on our list.
However, it was not the highest GCP increase nationwide. The county with the highest percentage increase was Mandera, with a 10.34% increase from 2019 to 2020.
Population-wise, the county had 752,695 people. This is the county below the 1 million mark of residents on the list of ten wealthiest counties in Kenya.
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