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 20.3 up to ward level.

 Table 20: Overall Employment by Education Levels in Laikipia County

In Laikipia County, 16% of the residents with no formal education, 22% of those with a primary education and 32% of those with secondary level of education or above are working for pay. Work for pay is highest in Nairobi at 49% and this is 17 percentage points above the level in Laikipia for those with a 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. Laikipia County’s Gini index is 0.369 compared with Turkana County, which has the least inequality nationally (0.283).

Only 4% of residents in Laikipia County use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and 3% use paraffin. 66% use firewood and 26% use charcoal. Firewood is the most common cooking fuel by either gender with 64% of male headed households and 70% in female headed households use it.

Laikipia North constituency has the highest level of firewood use in Laikipia County at 87%.This is 34 percentage points above Laikipia East constituency, which has the lowest share at 53%. Laikipia North constituency is 21 percentage points above the county average. Sosian ward has the highest level of firewood use in Laikipia County at 94%.This is six times Nanyuki ward, which has the lowest share. Sosian ward is 28 percentage points above the county average.

Laikipia East constituency has the highest level of charcoal use in Laikipia County at 33%.This is thrice Laikipia North constituency, which has the lowest share. Laikipia East is 7 percentage points above the county average. Nanyuki ward has the highest level of charcoal use in Laikipia County at 54%.This is almost 11 times Sosian ward, which has the lowest share. Nanyuki ward is 28 percentage points above the county average.

 A total of 18% of residents in Laikipia County use electricity as their main source of lighting. A further 35% use lanterns, and 34% use tin lamps. 5% use fuel wood. Electricity use is slightly more common in male headed households at 19% as compared with female headed households at 16%.

Laikipia East constituency has the highest level of electricity use at 28%.That is seven times Laikipia North constituency, which has the lowest level of electricity use. Laikipia East constituency is 10 percentage points above the county average. Nanyuki ward has the highest level of electricity use at 55%.That is 54 percentage points above Salama ward, which has the lowest level of electricity use. Nanyuki ward is 37 percentage points above the county average.

In Laikipia County, 33% of residents have homes with cement floors, while 65% have earth floors. 1% has wood or tile floors. Laikipia East constituency has the highest share of cement floors at 44%.That is almost three times Laikipia North constituency, which has the lowest share of cement floors Laikipia East constituency is 11 percentage points above the county average. Thingithu ward has the highest share of cement floors at 72%.That is 10 times Sosian ward, which has the lowest share of cement floors. Thingithu ward is 39 percentage points above the county average.

 In Laikipia County, 2% of residents have homes with concrete roofs, while 80% have corrugated iron sheet roofs. Grass and makuti roofs constitute 10% of homes, and 3% have mud/dung roofs.

 Laikipia East constituency has the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 90%.That is almost twice Laikipia North constituency, which has the lowest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs. Laikipia East constituency is 10 percentage points above the county average. Three wards Githiga, Tigithi and Umande, have the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 97% each. That is almost six times Mugogodo West ward, which has the lowest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs. Githiga, Tigithi and Umande are 17 percentage points above the county average.

Laikipia North constituency has the highest share of grass/makuti roofs at 33%.That is 32 percentage points above Laikipia East constituency, which has the lowest share of grass/makuti roofs. Laikipia North is 23 percentage points above the county average. Mugogodo West ward has the highest share of grass/makuti roofs at 67%. This is 67 percentage points above Nanyuki ward, which has the lowest share. Mugogodo West ward is 57 percentage points above the county average.

In Laikipia County, 18% of homes have either brick or stone walls. 33% of homes have mud/wood or mud/cement walls. 45% have wood walls. 3% have corrugated iron walls. Less than 1% has grass/thatched walls. 1% has tin or other walls.

Laikipia East constituency has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 24%.That is twice Laikipia North constituency, which has the lowest share of brick/stone walls. Laikipia East constituency is 6 percentage points above the county average. Thingithu ward has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 51%.That is almost 13 times Sosian ward, which has the lowest share of brick/stone walls. Thingithu ward is 33 percentage points above the county average.

Laikipia North constituency has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 67%.That is five times Laikipia East constituency, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement. Laikipia North constituency is 34 percentage points above the county average. Sosian ward has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 85%.That is 14 times Thingithu ward, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement walls. Sosian ward is 52 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 Laikipia County, 50% of residents use improved sources of water, with the rest relying on unimproved sources. Use of improved sources is slightly higher in male headed households at 52% as compared with female headed households 48% using it.

Laikipia East constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 65%. That is twice Laikipia North constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sources of water. Laikipia East constituency is 15 percentage points above the county average. Thingithu ward has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 94%.That is six times Salama ward, which has the lowest share using improved sources of water. Thingithu ward is 44 percentage points above the county average.

A total of 68% of residents in Laikipia County use improved sanitation, while the rest use unimproved sanitation. Use of improved sanitation is higher in male headed households at 71% as compared with female headed households at 64%.

Laikipia East constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sanitation at 81%.That is twice Laikipia North constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Laikipia East constituency is 13 percentage points above the county average. Nanyuki ward has the highest share of residents using improved sanitation at 95%.That is almost six times Mugogodo West ward, which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Nanyuki ward is 27 percentage points above the county average.