Kenya

2.1.3 Housing Characteristics
Table 2.3 shows the percent
distribution of households by housing
characteristics according to place of
residence. These characteristics are usually
a function of the household’s socioeconomic
situation and have a direct bearing on the
health and welfare of household members.
The majority of households (58 percent) do
not have electricity; a higher percentage of
urban dwellers (78 percent) have access to
electricity compared with those in rural
households (16 percent).
The most commonly used flooring
materials are cement (45 percent) and
earth/sand (32 percent). More urban
households (61 percent) have cement floors
compared with rural households (33
percent); earth/sand is the most common
flooring in rural homes (48 percent). Iron
sheets are by far the most commonly used
roofing materials (84 percent). In rural areas,
the dominant wall materials are
dung/mud/sod (44 percent), while stone with
lime/cement is the wall material most
commonly used in urban areas (47 percent).
More than half of households (54
percent) have only one room used for
sleeping, while 29 percent have two rooms.
2.2 HOUSEHOLD POSSESSIONS
Ownership of domestic goods such
as furniture and electronics along with land
and livestock provide a measure of
household wealth and general well-being.
Moreover, particular goods have specific
benefits. Some household effects promote
Table 2.3 Household characteristics
Percent distribution of households by housing characteristics, according to
residence, Kenya 2015
Residence
Housing characteristic Urban Rural Total
Electricity
Yes 78.1 16.0 41.6
No 21.9 84.0 58.4
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Flooring material
Earth/sand 9.9 47.9 32.2
Dung 2.2 16.0 10.3
Wood planks 0.2 0.1 0.1
Parquet or polished wood 0.3 0.1 0.2
Vinyl/PVC/asphalt strips 1.7 0.4 0.9
Ceramic tiles 16.5 0.7 7.2
Cement 61.3 33.1 44.7
Carpet 7.8 1.6 4.1
Other 0.0 0.1 0.1
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Main roof material
No roof 0.0 0.1 0.0
Thatch/grass/makuti 2.1 11.8 7.8
Dung/mud/sod 0.4 1.2 0.9
Iron sheets 81.3 85.8 83.9
Tin cans 0.1 0.1 0.1
Asbestos sheet 7.1 0.2 3.1
Concrete 7.5 0.1 3.1
Tiles 1.5 0.1 0.7
Other 0.0 0.6 0.4
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Main wall material
No walls 0.1 0.1 0.1
Cane/palm/trunks 0.8 6.7 4.2
Dung/mud/sod 9.1 43.5 29.3
Bamboo with mud 0.4 1.4 1.0
Stone with mud 0.8 1.1 1.0
Uncovered adobe 0.2 2.4 1.5
Plywood 0.8 1.8 1.4
Cardboard 0.1 0.0 0.0
Reused wood 1.6 2.2 2.0
Iron sheets 14.8 4.6 8.8
Cement 13.7 10.6 11.9
Stone with lime/cement 47.4 10.3 25.6
Bricks 4.0 5.3 4.8
Cement blocks 5.2 2.2 3.4
Covered adobe 0.1 0.7 0.4
Wood planks/shingles 0.7 6.5 4.1
Other 0.1 0.7 0.4
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Rooms used for sleeping
One 65.7 46.4 54.4
Two 21.6 34.5 29.2
Three or more 12.6 19.1 16.4
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number 2,673 3,808 6,481
good hygiene and nutrition and can provide access to health information, while land and livestock
support production of food and improve living standards. Table 2.4 shows the percentage of
households possessing various household items and means of transport as well as land and livestock
ownership.
20 • Characteristics of Households and Women