The 2009 Population and Housing Census indicate that the county had an urban population of 936,411 in 2009 and in 2012 was projected to be 1,018,773. Urban population is expected to reach 1,108,380 in 2015 and 1,172,453 by the end of 2017. The county urban population distribution per urban centres is as illustrated in table 4 below which shows that Ruiru and Kikuyu towns have the highest number of people living in urban areas, followed by Thika and Karuri towns respectively. This high population in urban centres can be attributed to the proximity of the county to Nairobi as most of the people work in Nairobi and reside in the county. In addition, industrial development in some districts like Thika West and Ruiru attract more labour force. In these areas, urban planning should be effectively undertaken to avoid strain on the physical amenities from growth of informal settlements. In addition, community policing should be enhanced to reduce insecurity. Also, more infrastructural facilities like transport network, housing, schools and health centres should be built. The population distribution by urban centres is shown below.
Population Projections by Urban Centres
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2009 Census |
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2012 Census |
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2015 Projections |
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2017 Projections |
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Town |
|
Male |
Female |
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Total |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Male |
Female |
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Total |
Male |
Female |
|
Total |
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Gatundu |
|
2,580 |
2,970 |
|
5,550 |
2,807 |
3,231 |
6,038 |
|
3,054 |
3,515 |
|
6,569 |
3,230 |
3,719 |
|
6,949 |
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Githung |
|
4,843 |
5,164 |
|
10,007 |
5,269 |
5,618 |
10,887 |
|
5,732 |
6,112 |
|
11,845 |
6,064 |
6,466 |
|
12,529 |
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|
uri |
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Juja |
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20,488 |
19,958 |
|
40,446 |
22,290 |
21,713 |
44,003 |
|
24,251 |
23,623 |
|
47,874 |
25,652 |
24,989 |
|
50,641 |
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Limuru |
|
39,433 |
40,098 |
|
79,531 |
42,901 |
43,625 |
86,526 |
|
46,675 |
47,462 |
|
94,137 |
49,373 |
50,206 |
|
99,579 |
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Kiambu |
|
41,247 |
42,908 |
|
84,155 |
44,875 |
46,682 |
91,557 |
|
48,822 |
50,788 |
|
99,610 |
51,644 |
53,724 |
|
105,368 |
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Karuri |
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53,735 |
53,981 |
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107,716 |
58,461 |
58,729 |
117,190 |
|
63,603 |
63,894 |
|
127,49 |
67,280 |
67,588 |
|
134,868 |
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8 |
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Thika |
|
68,408 |
68,509 |
|
136,917 |
74,425 |
74,535 |
148,960 |
|
80,971 |
81,090 |
|
162,06 |
85,652 |
85,778 |
|
171,430 |
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1 |
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Ruiru |
|
119,147 |
119,711 |
|
238,858 |
129,62 |
130,240 |
259,867 |
|
141,028 |
141,696 |
|
282,72 |
149,18 |
149,887 |
|
299,067 |
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7 |
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3 |
1 |
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Kikuyu |
|
114,357 |
118,874 |
|
233,231 |
124,41 |
129,330 |
253,745 |
|
135,358 |
140,705 |
|
276,06 |
143,18 |
148,839 |
|
292,022 |
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5 |
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3 |
3 |
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Total |
|
464,238 |
472,173 |
|
936,411 |
505,07 |
513,703 |
1,018,77 |
549,494 |
558,886 |
|
1,108, |
581,26 |
591,195 |
|
1,172,454 |
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0 |
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3 |
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380 |
0 |
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Kabete Constituency has the highest population density which currently is 2,534 persons/Km2 followed by Kiambaa Constituency which has 2,153 persons/Km2. This is due to their proximity to the city of Nairobi. The least densely populated constituency is Lari with 307 persons/Km2, mainly due to the fact that a considerable part of the constituency is covered by forests. High population density exerts pressure on the available land leading to subdivision of land into uneconomical units.
Population Distribution and Density by Constituency
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2009 Census |
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2012 Census |
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2015 Projections |
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2017 Projections |
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Population |
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Density |
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Population |
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Density |
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Population |
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Density |
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Population |
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Density |
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(Km2) |
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(Km2) |
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(Km2) |
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(Km2) |
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|
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|
Gatundu |
114,180 |
|
593 |
|
124,223 |
|
645 |
|
|
135,149 |
|
702 |
|
|
142,962 |
|
742 |
|
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South |
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|||||||||||||
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Gatundu |
100,611 |
|
352 |
|
109,460 |
|
383 |
|
|
119,088 |
|
417 |
|
|
125,972 |
|
441 |
|
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|||||||||||||
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North |
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|
Juja |
118,793 |
|
365 |
|
129,241 |
|
397 |
|
|
140,609 |
|
432 |
|
|
148,737 |
|
457 |
|
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|||||||||||||
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|
Thika |
165,342 |
|
760 |
|
179,885 |
|
827 |
|
|
195,706 |
|
900 |
|
|
207,020 |
|
952 |
|
|
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Town |
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|||||||||||||
|
Ruiru |
201,986 |
|
1,003 |
|
219,752 |
|
1,091 |
|
|
239,080 |
|
1,187 |
|
|
252,901 |
|
1,256 |
|
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|||||||||||||
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|
Githunguri |
147,763 |
|
852 |
|
160,760 |
|
927 |
|
|
174,899 |
|
1,008 |
|
|
185,010 |
|
1,067 |
|
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|||||||||||||
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|
Kiambaa |
145,053 |
|
1,979 |
|
157,811 |
|
2,153 |
|
|
171,691 |
|
2,342 |
|
|
181,617 |
|
2,478 |
|
|
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|||||||||||||
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|
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|
|
|||||||||||||
|
Kiambu |
108,698 |
|
1,026 |
|
118,259 |
|
1,116 |
|
|
128,660 |
|
1,214 |
|
|
136,098 |
|
1,285 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
Kabete |
140,427 |
|
2,329 |
|
152,778 |
|
2,534 |
|
|
166,216 |
|
2,757 |
|
|
175,825 |
|
2,916 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
Kikuyu |
125,402 |
|
713 |
|
136,432 |
|
776 |
|
|
148,432 |
|
844 |
|
|
157,012 |
|
893 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
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|
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|
|
|||||||||||||
|
Limuru |
131,132 |
|
466 |
|
142,666 |
|
507 |
|
|
155,214 |
|
552 |
|
|
164,187 |
|
583 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
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|
|||||||||||||
|
Lari |
123,895 |
|
282 |
|
134,792 |
|
307 |
|
|
146,648 |
|
334 |
|
|
155,125 |
|
353 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
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|
|
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|
|
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|
|
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|
|
|
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|
|
|||||||||||||
|
Total |
1,623,282 |
|
638 |
|
1,766,058 |
|
694 |
|
|
1,921,392 |
|
755 |
|
|
2,032,466 |
|
799 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
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|
|
|
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|
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|
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|
Population Projections by Constituency
|
2009 Census |
2012 Census |
2015 Projections |
2017 Projections |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Male |
Female |
Total |
Male |
Female |
Total |
Male |
Female |
Total |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Gatundu |
54,995 |
59,185 |
114,180 |
59,832 |
64,391 |
124,223 |
65,095 |
70,054 |
135,149 |
68,858 |
74,104 |
142,962 |
|
South |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gatundu |
48,727 |
51,884 |
100,611 |
53,013 |
56,447 |
109,460 |
57,676 |
61,412 |
119,088 |
61,010 |
64,963 |
125,972 |
|
North |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
60,114 |
58,679 |
118,793 |
65,401 |
63,840 |
129,241 |
71,154 |
69,455 |
140,609 |
75,267 |
73,470 |
148,737 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thika |
82,680 |
82,662 |
165,342 |
89,952 |
89,933 |
179,885 |
97,864 |
97,843 |
195,706 |
103,521 |
103,499 |
207,020 |
|
Town |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruiru |
101,257 |
100,729 |
201,986 |
110,163 |
109,589 |
219,752 |
119,853 |
119,228 |
239,080 |
126,781 |
126,120 |
252,901 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Githunguri |
72,845 |
74,918 |
147,763 |
79,252 |
81,507 |
160,760 |
86,223 |
88,676 |
174,899 |
91,207 |
93,803 |
185,010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kiambaa |
72,421 |
72,632 |
145,053 |
78,791 |
79,020 |
157,811 |
85,721 |
85,971 |
171,691 |
90,676 |
90,941 |
181,617 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kiambu |
53,375 |
55,323 |
108,698 |
58,070 |
60,189 |
118,259 |
63,177 |
65,483 |
128,660 |
66,829 |
69,268 |
136,098 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kabete |
69,186 |
71,241 |
140,427 |
75,271 |
77,507 |
152,778 |
81,892 |
84,324 |
166,216 |
86,626 |
89,199 |
175,825 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kikuyu |
61,184 |
64,218 |
125,402 |
66,565 |
69,866 |
136,432 |
72,420 |
76,011 |
148,432 |
76,607 |
80,406 |
157,012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Limuru |
65,193 |
65,939 |
131,132 |
70,927 |
71,739 |
142,666 |
77,165 |
78,048 |
155,214 |
81,626 |
82,560 |
164,187 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lari |
60,632 |
63,263 |
123,895 |
65,965 |
68,827 |
134,792 |
71,767 |
74,881 |
146,648 |
75,916 |
79,210 |
155,125 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
802,609 |
820,673 |
1,623,282 |
873,203 |
892,855 |
1,766,058 |
950,005 |
971,387 |
1,921,392 |
1,004,924 |
1,027,542 |
2,032,466 |
|
|
|
|
|
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Ruiru Cconstituency had the highest population with a total of 219,752 people while Gatundu North constituency had the lowest population of 109,460 people. The county‘s population is projected to be 1,921,392 in 2015, and 2,032,466 in 2017.
