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List of cities and towns in Kenya by population

The following is a list of the most populous cities, municipalities and towns of Kenya. In Kenya there are only five incorporated cities including the capital and largest city, Nairobi, the second largest and the coastal city of Mombasa, the third largest and inland port city of Kisumu, the 4th City to get the Status of the City was Nakuru, that was upgraded from a municipality on 1 December 2021, the latest City to get this upgrade is Eldoret which was elevated on 15th August, 2024 in a colourful ceremony that happened alongside welcoming the Olympic Champions from Paris, France. Two of the five cities, Nairobi and Mombasa, are cities whose county borders run the same as their city limits, so in a way they could be thought of as city-counties. Apart from these five cities, there are numerous municipalities and towns with significant urban populations.

Top 100 list

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The list:

Capital city
City
Municipality
Others

The municipalities of Ruiru, Kikuyu,Thika, Mavoko, and Ngong which feature on the top 10 list of the most populated towns in Kenya also fall within the Nairobi Metropolitan region. Data for the largest urban centers in Kenya was provided under the Kenya Population Census of 2019.[1]

№ City/ Town Status Population County Ref
1.   Nairobi Capital 4,828,000   Nairobi [2]
2.   Mombasa City 1,208,333   Mombasa [3]
3. Nakuru City 570,674 Nakuru [3]
4. Ruiru Municipality (Ruiru + Githurai) 490,120 Kiambu [3]
5. Eldoret City 475,716 Uasin Gishu [3]
6. Kisumu City 397,957 Kisumu [3]
7. Kikuyu Municipality 323,881 Kiambu [3]
8. Ngong Municipality (Ngong + O/Rongai) 279,757 Kajiado [3]
9. Mavoko Municipality (Mlolongo + Athi River + Syokimau + Katani + Githunguri) 258,498 Machakos [4]
10. Thika Municipality 251,407 Kiambu/Murang'a [3]
11. Naivasha Municipality 198,444 Nakuru [3]
12. Karuri Municipality (Ruaka + Ndenderu) 194,342 Kiambu [3]
13. Kitale Municipality 162,560 Trans Nzoia [4]
14. Juja Municipality 156,041 Kiambu [4]
15. Kitengela Municipality (Kitengela + Kisaju) 154,643 Kajiado [4]
16. Kiambu Municipality 155,896 Kiambu [4]
17. Malindi Municipality 119,859 Kilifi [4]
18. Mandera Municipality 114,718 Mandera [4]
19. Kisii Municipality 112,417 Kisii/Nyamira [4]
20. Kakamega Municipality 107,227 Kakamega [4]
21. Mtwapa Municipality 90,677 Kilifi [4]
22. Wajir Municipality 90,116 Wajir [4]
23. Lodwar Municipality 82,970 Turkana [4]
24. Limuru Municipality 81,316 Kiambu [4]
25. Meru Municipality 80,191 Meru [4]
26. Nyeri Municipality 80,081 Nyeri [4]
27. Isiolo Municipality 78,650 Isiolo [4]
28. Ukunda Municipality (Diani Municipality) 77,686 Kwale [4]
29. Kiserian Town Council 76,903 Kajiado [4]
30. Kilifi Municipality 74,270 Kilifi [4]
31. Nanyuki Municipality 72,813 Laikipia/Nyeri [4]
32. Busia Municipality 71,886 Busia [4]
33. Migori Municipality 71,668 Migori [4]
34. Bungoma Municipality 68,031 Bungoma [4]
35. Narok Municipality 65,430 Narok [4]
36. Embu Municipality 64,979 Embu [4]
37. Machakos Municipality 63,767 Machakos [4]
38. El Wak Municipality 60,732 Mandera [4]
39. Gilgil Municipality 60,711 Nakuru [4]
40. Kimilili Municipality 56,050 Bungoma [4]
41. Kericho Municipality 53,804 Kericho [4]
42. Voi Municipality 53,353 Taita-Taveta [4]
43. Wanguru Municipality 51,722 Kirinyaga [4]
44. Habaswein Town Council 49,599 Wajir [4]
45. Turi Municipality 48,356 Nakuru [4]
46. Moyale Other Centre 47,850 Marsabit [4]
47. Homa Bay Municipality 44,949 Homa Bay [4]
48. Kenol Other Centre 44,086 Muranga [4]
49. Masalani Town Council 43,642 Garissa [4]
50. Muranga Municipality 43,314 Muranga [4]
51. Webuye Municipality 42,642 Bungoma [4]
52. Njoro Town Council 42,173 Nakuru [4]
53. Kapsabet Municipality 41,997 Nandi [4]
54. Mumias Municipal 41,942 Kakamega [4]
55. Kerugoya-Kutus Municipality 39,188 Kirinyaga [4]
56. Nyahururu Municipality 37,650 Laikipia/Nyandarua [4]
57. Marsabit Municipality 36,289 Marsabit [4]
58. Rhamu Town Council 35,644 Mandera [4]
59. Siaya Municipality 33,153 Siaya [4]
60. Mariakani Municipality 31,715 Kwale/Kilifi [4]
60. Maralal Municipality 31,350 Samburu [4]
61. Mairo-Inya Municipality 30,527 Nyandarua [4]
62. Kitui Municipality 29,062 Kitui [4]
63. Makutano Town Council 28,469 West Pokot [4]
64. Elburgon Town Council 28,359 Nakuru [4]
65. Watamu Town Council 27,857 Kilifi
66. Lamu Municipality 25,385 Lamu [4]
67. Kajiado Municipality 24,678 Kajiado [4]
68. Nyamira Municipality 24,483 Nyamira [4]
69. Isebania Town Council 23,891 Migori [4]
70. Karatina Municipality 23,552 Nyeri [4]
71. Kakuma Town Council 22,984 Turkana [4]
72. Lafey Town Council 22,882 Mandera [4]
73. Bondo Municipality 22,712 Siaya [4]
74. Kabarnet Municipality 22,474 Baringo [4]
75. Chuka Municipality 22,388 Tharaka-Nithi [4]
76. Kehancha Municipality 22,194 Migori [4]
77. Maua Municipality 22,121 Meru [4]
78. Taveta Town Council 22,018 Taita-Taveta [4]
79. Takaba Town Council 114,718 Mandera [4]
80. Eldama Ravine Town Council 21,385 Baringo [4]
81. Hola Municipality 20,912 Tana River [4]
82. Mai Mahiu Other Centre 20,823 Nakuru [3]
83. Rongo Municipality 20,688 Migori [4]
84. Oyugis Municipality 19,947 Homabay [4]
85. Wote Municipality 19,725 Makueni [4]
86. Emali Municipality 62,404 Makueni/Kajiado [4]
87. Garbatula Other Centre 17,443 Isiolo [4]
88. Mbale Other Centre 17,404 Vihiga [4]
89. Mwingi Municipality 17,025 Kitui [4]
90. Awendo Municipality 16,815 Migori [4]
91. Kiminini Town Council 16,560 Trans Nzoia [4]
92. Moi's Bridge Other Centre 16,355 Uasin Gishu/Trans Nzoia [4]
93. Mazeras Other Centre 16,254 Kwale/Kilifi [4]
94. Malaba Municipality 15,581 Busia [4]
95. Makindu Town Council 15,038 Makueni [4]
96. Banissa Other Centre 14,974 Mandera [4]
97. Msambweni Other Centre 14,951 Kwale [4]
98. Namanga Other Centre 14,922 Kajiado [4]
99. Mbita Municipality 14,916 Homa Bay [4]
100. Isinya Other Centre 14,429 Kajiado [4]

Distribution

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County Number of Cities/ Towns
(Top 100)
Kiambu 7
Kajiado 5
Bungoma, Kericho, Kilifi, Kisumu, Machakos, Nakuru, Kisii 4
Busia, Homa Bay, Kajiado, Kakamega, Laikipia, Migori, Taita-Taveta 3
Embu, Kitui, Meru, Murang'a, Nyamira, Siaya, Turkana, Trans-Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Vihiga 2
Baringo, Bomet, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Garissa, Isiolo, Kirinyaga, Kwale, Mandera, Marsabit, Nandi, Narok, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Samburu, Tharaka-Nithi, Wajir, West Pokot. 1

References

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  1. ^ Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (21 February 2020). 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume II: Distribution of Population by Administrative Units (Report). Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. p. 241. Retrieved 20 July 2023. Table 2.5: Distribution of Population by Urban Centres, Sex* and County
  2. ^ "2019 KPHC – Analytical Report on Population Projections Vol XVI". Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. September 2022. p. 38. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (21 February 2020). 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume II: Distribution of Population by Administrative Units (Report). Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. p. 241. Retrieved 3 March 2020. Distribution of Population by Urban Centres Nairobi City: 4,397,073; Mombasa: 1,208,333; Nakuru: 570,674; Ruiru: 371,111; Eldoret: 475,716; Kisumu: 397,957
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj "2009 Census Vol 1 Table 3 Rural and Urban Population | Open Data Portal". Archived from the original on 29 July 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016. 2009 Census Vol 1 Table 3 Rural and Urban Population Retrieved on 22 January 2014.
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