Cities in Kenya

Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu and the newly incorporated city of Nakuru are the four cities in Kenya; Nairobi lies in central Kenya, Mombasa on the Indian Ocean and Kisumu on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Nakuru, Eldoret, Kitale and Lamu are among the major towns.

Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital of Kenya and the main tourist hub, it’s home to the country’s major international airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). Most tours start in the capital, which also hosts numerous Kenyan businesses and more than 100 major international companies and organizations.

There are many tourist attractions in the capital such as, Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre, Bomas of Kenya, monuments, museums, nature parks and an active nightlife.

Mombasa

Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya and a regional cultural and economic hub. It has a prominent port (Kilindini Harbor), an international airport (Moi International Airport) and it is an important regional tourism center. Tourist attractions include Mombasa Old Town, Fort Jesus and the beaches on the North Coast and South Coast of Mombasa Island.

Kisumu

Kisumu is the third-largest city in Kenya and the principal city of western Kenya. It is a port town and the port, sited on the shores of Lake Victoria, is used for shipping goods destined for Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Tourist attractions include the Kisumu Museum, Kisumu Impala Sanctuary, Hippo Point and Ndere Island National Park.

Nakuru

Nakuru is the third-largest urban center in the country. Agriculture, manufacturing and tourism are the backbone of the economy of Nakuru. The town is also an important educational center. Tourist attractions include Lake Nakuru, which forms part of the Lake Nakuru National Park, Menengai Crater, the second largest surviving volcanic crater in the world and Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site.

Eldoret

Eldoret is the fifth-largest town in Kenya lying south of the Cherangani Hills, Major industries in the area include textiles, wheat, pyrethrum and corn. Eldoret is the hometown of numerous legendary Kenyan athletes who have dominated middle- and long-distance races.

Kitale

Kitale is an agricultural town situated between Mount Elgon and Cherangani Hills. The main cash crops grown in the area are sunflower, tea, coffee, Pyrethrum, maize and beans. Kitale is a market town for the local agricultural area and it is known for the Kitale Museum (the National Museum of Western Kenya) and an agroforestry center.

Saiwa Swamp National Park, which is the smallest national park in the country and home to the Sitatunga, a rare aquatic antelope is close to the town.

Lamu

Lamu is one of the oldest continually inhabited towns in Kenya. It was founded in the 14th century and contains many fine examples of Swahili architecture. There are few motorized vehicles and donkeys are used to carry goods. Lamu Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cities in Kenya – Cities, municipalities and towns of Kenya by population

Below are the most populous cities, municipalities and towns in Kenya. There are only 3 incorporated cities – Nairobi, the capital, Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya and Kisumu however, there are numerous municipalities and towns with significant urban populations. Two of the cities, namely 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.

	City/Town	Status	Population	County
	Nairobi Metro	Metro	6,547,547	Nairobi Kajiado Machakos Kiambu
1	Nairobi	City	3,375,000	Nairobi
2	Mombasa	City	1,200,000	Mombasa
3	Kisumu	City	409,928	Kisumu
4	Nakuru	City	307,990	Nakuru
5	Eldoret	Municipality	289,380	Uasin Gishu
6	Kehancha	Municipality	256,086	Migori
7	Ruiru	Municipality	238,858	Kiambu
8	Kikuyu	Town Council	233,231	Kiambu
9	Kangundo-Tala	Town Council	218,557	Machakos
10	Malindi	Municipality	207,253	Kilifi
11	Naivasha	Municipality	181,966	Nakuru
12	Kitui	Municipality	155,896	Kitui
13	Machakos	Municipality	150,041	Machakos
14	Thika	Municipality	139,853	Kiambu
15	Athi River (Mavoko)	Municipality	139,380	Machakos
16	Karuri	Town Council	129,934	Kiambu
17	Neri	Municipality	125,357	Nyeri
18	Kilifi	Town Council	122,899	Kilifi
19	Garisa	Town Council	119,696	Garissa
20	Vihiga	Municipality	118,696	Vihiga
21	Mumias	Municipality	116,358	Kakamega
22	Bomet	Municipality	110,963	Bomet
23	Molo	Town Council	107,806	Nakuru
24	Ngong	Other Centre	107,188	Kajiado
25	Kitale	Municipality	106,187	Trans-Nzoia
26	Litein	Town Council	104,600	Kericho
27	Limuru	Municipality	104,282	Kiambu
28	Kericho	Municipality	104,282	Kericho
29	Kimilili	Municipality	94,927	Bungoma
30	Awasi	Other Centre	93,369	Kisumu
31	Kakamega	Municipality	91,768	Kakamega
32	Kapsabet	Municipality	91,030	Nandi
33	Mariakani	Town Council	89,321	Kilifi
34	Kiambu	Municipality	88,869	Kiambu
35	Mandera	Town Council	87,692	Mandera
36	Nyamira	Town Council	84,239	Nyamira
37	Mwingi	Town Council	83,803	Kitui
38	Kisii	Municipality	83,460	Kisii
39	Wajir	Other Centre	82,800	Wajir
40	Rongo	Town Council	82,066	Migori
41	Bungoma	Municipality	81,151	Bungoma
42	Ahero	Town Council	76,828	Kisumu
43	Nandi Hills	Town Council	73,626	Trans-Nzoia
44	Makuyu	Town Council	71,913	Murang’a
45	Kapenguria	Town Council	71,477	West Pokot
46	Taveta	Town Council	67,505	Taita-Taveta
47	Narok	Town Council	67,505	Narok
48	Ol Kalou	Town Council	66,015	Nyandarua
49	Kakuma	Other Centre	65,814	Turkana
50	Webuye	Municipality	65,280	Bungoma
51	Malaba	Town Council	63,324	Busia
52	Mbita Point	Town Council	62,974	Homa Bay
53	Ukunda	Other Centre	62,529	Kwale
54	Wundanyi	Other Centre	62,404	Taita-Taveta
55	Busia	Municipality	61,715	Busia
56	Runyenjes	Municipality	61,604	Embu
57	Migori	Municipality	61,049	Migori
58	Malava	Town Council	60,831	Kakamega
59	Suneka	Town Council	60,730	Kisii
60	Embu	Municipality	60,673	Embu
61	Ogembo	Town Council	60,289	Kisii
62	Homa Bay	Municipality	59,844	Homa Bay
63	Lodwar	Municipality	58,218	Turkana
64	Kitengela	Other Centre	58,167	Kajiado
65	Utawala	Town Council	57,081	Siaya
66	Keroka	Town Council	54,655	Kisii
67	Meru	Municipality	53,627	Meru
68	Matuu	Town Council	53,144	Machakos
69	Oyugis	Town Council	52,354	Kisumu
70	Nyahururu	Municipality	51,434	Laikipia
71	Kipkelion	Town Council	49,939	Kericho
72	Luanda	Town Council	49,346	Vihiga
73	Nanyuki	Municipality	49,233	Laikipia
74	Maua	Municipality	49,012	Meru
75	Mtwapa	Other Centre	48,625	Kilifi
76	Isiolo	Other Centre	46,128	Isiolo
77	Eldama Ravine	Town Council	45,799	Baringo
78	Voi	Municipality	45,483	Taita-Taveta
79	Siaya	Municipality	45,353	Siaya
80	Nyansiongo	Town Council	45,313	Nyamira
81	Londiani	Town Council	44,953	Kericho
82	Iten/Tambach	Town Council	44,448	Elgeyo-Marakwet
83	Chuka	Municipality	43,470	Tharaka-Nithi
84	Malakisi	Town Council	41,784	Bungoma
85	Juja	Other Centre	40,446	Kiambu
86	Ongata Rongai	Other Centre	40,178	Kajiado
87	Bondo	Town Council	39,224	Siaya
88	Moyale	Other Centre	37,387	Marsabit
89	Maralal	Town Council	35,472	Samburu
90	Gilgil	Other Centre	35,293	Nakuru
91	Nambale	Town Council	34,735	Busia
92	Tabaka	Town Council	34,724	Kisii
93	Muhoroni	Town Council	34,457	Kisumu
94	Kerugoya/Kutus	Municipality	34,014	Kirinyaga
95	Ugunja	Town Council	33,878	Siaya
96	Yala	Town Council	33,646	Siaya
97	Rumuruti	Town Council	32,993	Laikipia
98	Burnt Forest	Town Council	32,649	Uasin Gishu
99	Maragua	Town Council	32,315	Murang’a
100	Kendu Bay	Town Council	31,699	Homa Bay

Questions about Cities in Kenya

Your Comments

Which is your favorite city in Kenya? Do you have a town or other place which is special to you in Kenya, and why? Let us know about it, in the comments, below.