Richest and poorest counties in Kenya in 2026 ranked by GDP and development score

• A new 2026 County Development Index report ranked all 47 counties using eight economic and livelihood indicators
• Nairobi led with a gross county product exceeding KSh 4.1 trillion, accounting for 27.5% of Kenya's national GDP
• Wajir posted the lowest score nationally, with a gross county product of just KSh 69.6 billion

Elijah Ntongai is an experienced editor at TUKO.co.ke, with more than four years in financial, business, labour and technology research and reporting. His work provides valuable insights into Kenyan, African, and global trends.

Nairobi has retained its status as Kenya's wealthiest county in 2026, contributing 27.5% of the national GDP with a Gross County Product (GCP) surpassing KSh 4.1 trillion.

This is according to the 2026 County Development Index (CDI) report released by the SDG Kenya Forum and supported by the Gates Foundation.

The report ranks all 47 counties using an Economic Performance and Livelihoods Index that incorporates eight indicators: GCP, contribution to national GDP, labour force participation, youth joblessness, economic diversification, poverty levels, multidimensional poverty, and the business environment.

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GCP carries the highest weighting at 20%, while labour force participation, youth unemployment, and headcount poverty each account for 15%.

Nairobi leads with a CDI score of 0.96, driven by its dense concentration of financial institutions, formal enterprises, and professional services.

Kiambu follows at 0.89 (KSh 819.8 billion), benefiting from its proximity to the capital and a strong manufacturing base.

Nakuru ranks third at 0.87 (KSh 771.8 billion), with Mombasa fourth at 0.84 (KSh 711 billion), supported by its role as the country's principal port city, where manufacturing and services together account for around 75% of economic output.

Nyeri (0.81, KSh 265 billion), Meru (0.77, KSh 525 billion), Machakos (0.76, KSh 476 billion), Murang'a (0.76), Uasin Gishu (0.76, KSh 296 billion), and Kirinyaga (0.74) round out the top ten.

Poorest Counties in Kenya

At the opposite end, Wajir records the lowest CDI score nationally at 0.07, with a GCP of KSh 69.6 billion. Mandera follows at 0.09 (KSh 88.4 billion), Turkana at 0.12 (KSh 336.8 billion), Samburu at 0.15 (KSh 36.8 billion), and Marsabit at 0.16 (KSh 76.4 billion).

Tana River (0.20), Isiolo (0.22, KSh 46.2 billion), and West Pokot (0.25, KSh 87.1 billion) also feature among the lowest-ranked counties.

"Their low output reflects relatively small populations, limited industrial activity, low investment levels, dependence on livestock production and weak private sector development," the report notes, adding that the figures reveal a highly uneven spatial distribution of economic activity across the country.

On fiscal management, Narok emerged as the strongest performer, recording a per capita own-source revenue of KSh 4,800 and budget execution of 95.5%.

Nyamira ranked last in this category, hampered by a wage bill burden of 53.9% and budget execution of only 53.8%.

During the launch of the report by SDGs Forum Kenya, economist Samuel Kimote said the gap between counties reflects compounding disadvantages.

"Weak infrastructure limits economic activity. Weak economic activity constrains own-source revenue, limited fiscal space restricts investment in human capital and services, and weak institutional capacity reduces the effectiveness of available resources," he said.

The report recommends that counties develop locally tailored economic diversification strategies and strengthen agricultural value chains to broaden their production base and raise household incomes.

County govts' development spending

In other news on TUKO.co.ke, Kenya’s 47 county governments spent KSh 126.69 billion on development in the 2025/26 financial year, representing 54.21% of their approved KSh 233.69 billion budgets, down from 57% in the previous year.

According to Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o, Kilifi recorded the highest development absorption rate at 84.52%, followed by Wajir at 83.03%, Mandera at 80% and Meru at 79.04%, making them the only four counties to exceed the 75% benchmark.

Kisumu and Siaya recorded the country’s lowest absorption rates at 25.92% and 26.53%, respectively, while Nairobi spent KSh 3.82 billion of its KSh 13.42 billion development budget, representing 28.47%.

Nyakang’o urged county treasuries to monitor development spending monthly, prepare procurement plans early and align cash-flow projections with implementation plans for the 2026/27 financial year, as low absorption threatens the delivery of development projects.

Source: TUKO.co.ke