The 2009 population and housing census covered in brief the labour status as tabulated below. The main variable of interest for inequality discussed in the text is work for pay by level of education. The other variables, notably family business, family agricultural holdings, intern/volunteer, retired/homemaker, fulltime student, incapacitated and  no work are tabulated and presented in the annex table 12.3 up to ward level.

 Table 12: Overall Employment by Education levels in Kericho County

In Kericho County, 20% of the residents with no formal education 21% for those with primary education and 30% for those with a secondary level of education or above are working for pay. Work for pay is highest in Nairobi at 49% and this is 19 percentage points above the level in Kericho for those with secondary level of education or above.

In this report, the Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of consumption expenditure among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Gini index of '0' represents perfect equality, while an index of '1' implies perfect inequality. Kericho County’s Gini index is 0.378 compared with Turkana County, which has the least inequality nationally (0.283).

Only 1% of residents in Kericho County use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and 2% use paraffin. 84% use firewood and 12% use charcoal. Firewood is the most common cooking fuel by gender with 84% in households headed by either gender.

 Kipkelion West constituency has the highest level of firewood use in Kericho County at 95%.This is 34 percentage points above Ainamoi constituency, which has the lowest share. Kipkelion West constituency is about 11 percentage points above the county average. Four wards, Tebesonik, Ainamoi, Kamasian and Cheboin, have the highest level of firewood use in Kericho County at 97% each. This is thrice the level in Kipchebor ward, which has the lowest share. Tebesonik, Ainamoi, Kamasian and Cheboin are 13 percentage points above the county average.

 Ainamoi constituency has the highest level of charcoal use in Kericho County at 30%.This is almost eight times Kipkelion West constituency, which has the lowest share. Ainamoi constituency is 18 percentage points above the county average. Kipchebor ward has the highest level of charcoal use in Kericho County at 56%.This is 55 percentage points more than Tebesonik ward, which has the lowest share. Kipchebor ward is 44 percentage points above the county average.

Only 11% of residents in Kericho County use electricity as their main source of lighting. A further 51% use lanterns, and 35% use tin lamps. Less than 1% use fuel wood. Use of electricity use is almost equal by gender with male headed households at 11% as compared with female headed households at 10%.

 Ainamoi constituency has the highest level of electricity use at 25%.That is 24 percentage points above Kipkelion West constituency, which has the lowest level of electricity use. Ainamoi constituency is 14 percentage points above the county average. Kapkugerwet ward has the highest level of electricity use at 46%.That is 46 percentage points above Kunyak and Chilchila wards that have the lowest level of electricity use. Kapkugerwet ward is 35 percentage points above the county average.

In Kericho County, 34% of residents have homes with cement floors, while 64% have earth floors. Less than 1% has tile while 1% has wood floors. Ainamoi constituency has the highest share of cement floors at 54%.That is almost five times Kipkelion West constituency has the lowest share of cement floors. Ainamoi constituency is 20 percentage points above the county average. Chaik ward has the highest share of cement floors at 98%.That is 14 times Kamasian ward, which has the lowest share of cement floors. Chaik ward is 64 percentage points above the county average.

In Kericho County, 1% of residents have homes with concrete roofs, while 83% have corrugated iron sheet roofs. Grass and makuti roofs constitute 14% of homes, and less than 1% has mud/dung roofs.

 Bureti constituency has the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 90%.That is 23 percentage points above Sigowet/Soin constituency, which has the lowest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs. Bureti constituency is 7 percentage points above the county average. Three wards, Cheptororiet/Seretut, Kapsuser and Kipchimchim, have the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 96% each. That is 42 percentage points above Soin ward, which has the lowest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs. Cheptororiet/Seretut, Kapsuser and Kipchimchim have 13 percentage points above the county average.

 Sigowet/Soin constituency has the highest share of grass/makuti roofs at 31%.That is four times Belgut constituency, which has the lowest share of grass/makuti roofs. Sigowet/Soin constituency is 17 percentage points above the county average. Soin ward has the highest share of grass/makuti roofs at 45%. This is 45 percentage points above Kipchebor ward, which has no grass/makuti roofs. Soin ward is 31 percentage points above the county average.

In Kericho County, 21% of homes have either brick or stone walls. 61% of homes have mud/wood or mud/cement walls. 12% have wood walls. 5% have corrugated iron sheet walls. Less than 1% has grass/thatched walls. 1% has tin or other walls.

Belgut constituency has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 38%.That is almost 10 times Kipkelion West constituency, which has the lowest share of brick/stone walls. Belgut constituency is 17 percentage points above the county average. Chaik ward has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 97%. That is 95 percentage points above Kamasian ward, which has the lowest share of brick/stone walls. Chaik ward is 76 percentage points above the county average.

Sigowet/Soin constituency has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 84%. That is twice Ainamoi constituency, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement. Sigowet/Soin constituency is 23 percentage points above the county average. Soin ward has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 91%. That is 90 percentage points above Chaik ward, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement walls. Soin ward is 30 percentage points above the county average.

Improved sources of water comprise protected  spring, protected well, borehole, piped into dwelling, piped and rain water collection while unimproved sources include pond, dam, lake, stream/river, unprotected spring, unprotected well, jabia, water vendor and others.

 In Kericho County, 40% of residents use improved sources of water, with the rest relying on unimproved sources. There is no significant gender differential in use of improved sources with 39% of male headed households and 40% in female headed households.

 Kipkelion East constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 53%. That is twice Sigowet/Soin constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sources of water. Kipkelion East constituency is 14 percentage points above the county average. Chaik ward has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 99%. That is eight times Soliat ward, which has the lowest share using improved sources of water. Chaik ward is 59 percentage points above the county average.

A total of 63% of residents in Kericho County use improved sanitation, while the rest use unimproved sanitation. Use of improved sanitation is equal by either gender with both male and female headed households at 63%.

Ainamoi constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sanitation at 77%. That is 34 percentage points above Sigowet/Soin constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Ainamoi constituency is 14 percentage points above the county average. Chaik ward has the highest share of residents using improved sanitation at 94%. That is nine times Soliat ward, which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Chaik ward is 31 percentage points above the county average.