Despite having the highest overall wealth, Nairobi is not the top richest county in Kenya because of its high population and inequality. This is also because the county has zero agricultural GDP.
A recent World Bank report ranked Kiambu as Kenya’s richest county and Mandera the poorest. The report, however, differed with the Commission on Revenue Allocation’s (CRA) report, which named Kajiado as the richest county based on multiple national surveys.
Kiambu: $1,785
Kiambu County which is within Greater Nairobi generates about 60% of Kenya’s wealth.Majority of Kenya’s millionaires are from this county. Kiambu County is also a hub of tea and coffee, among other cash crops.
Nyeri: $1,503
With a population of 661,156, Nyeri County residents are predominantly farmers growing tea and coffee as cash crops alongside food crops such as maize, beans, assorted vegetables and sweet potatoes.
Tourism and agriculture are the backbones of the town’s economy as it neighbours rich agricultural fields and popular tourist attractions such as the Aberdare National Park and Mount Kenya.
Kajiado: $1,466
Kajiado County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It has a population of 687,312 . Amboseli National Park, formerly Maasai Amboseli Game Reserve, is one of the county’s top tourist attraction.
Nakuru: $ 1,413
Nakuru County is the fourth largest county in Kenya after Nairobi, Kakamega and Kiambu.
With a population of 1,603,325, Nakuru County is home to Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha some of the Rift Valley soda lakes. Lake Nakuru is best known for its thousands, sometimes millions of flamingoes nesting along the shores. The surface of the shallow lake is often hardly recognisable due to the continually shifting mass of pink. The number of flamingoes on the lake varies with water and food conditions and the best vantage point is from Baboon cliff. Also of interest, an area of 188 km around the lake fenced off as a sanctuary to protect Rothschild giraffe and black rhinos.
Kwale: $1,406
Kwale County is a county in the former Coast Province of Kenya. Its capital is Kwale, although Ukunda is the largest town. The county has a population of 649,931.
Kwale is mainly an inland county, but it has coastline south of Mombasa. Diani Beach is part of the Msambweni division. Shimba Hills National Reserve and Mwaluganje elephant sanctuary are other attractions in the county.