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 29.3 up to ward level.

 Table 29: Overall Employment by education Levels in Murang’a County

In Murang’a County 17% of the residents with no formal education are working for pay, 22% of those with a primary education and 24% for those with a secondary level of education or above. Work for pay is highest in Nairobi at 49% and this is twice the level in Murang’a 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. Murang’a County’s Gini index is 0.361 compared with Turkana County, which has the least inequality nationally (0.283).

Just 2% of residents in Murang’a County use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and 6% use paraffin. 85% use firewood and 7% use charcoal. The most common cooking fuels among male headed households is firewood at 84% while the most common cooking fuels for female headed households is also firewood at 86%.

Kiharu constituency has the highest level of use of LPG in Murang’a County at 4%. This is 3 percentage points above Kangara, Mathioya, Kanadara and Kigumo constituencies, which have the lowest share. Kiharu constituency is twice the county average. Township ward has the highest level of use of LPG in Murang’a County at 18 %. This is 18 percentage points above the Rwathia, Gaturi, Kahumbu and Muthithi wards that have the lowest share. Township ward is 16% above the county average.

 Mathioya constituency has the highest level of firewood use in Murang’a County at 91%.This is 12 percentage points more than Gatanga constituency, which has the lowest share at 79%. Mathioya constituency is about 6 percentage points above the county average. Kahumbu ward with the highest level of firewood use in Murang’a County at 97%.This is four times Township ward, which has the lowest share at 23%.Kahumbu ward is 12 percentage points above the county average.

 Gatanga constituency has the highest level of use of charcoal in Murang’a County at 10%. This is almost three times Mathioya constituency, which has the lowest share at 4%. Gatanga constituency is 3 percentage points higher than the county average. Kakuzi/ Mitumbiri ward has the highest level of  charcoal usein Murang’a County at 19%.This is almost 10 times Kahumbui, Gaichanjiru, Muthithi, Kahumbu and Gaturi wards, which have the lowest share at 2%. Kakuzi/ Mitumbiri ward is 12 percentage points above the county average.

Only 14% of residents in Murang’a County use electricity as their main source of lighting. A further 40% use lanterns, and 43% use tin lamps. Less than 1% use fuel wood. Tin lamps are the most common lighting source by gender; 46% in female and 41% in male headed households.

Kiharu constituency has the highest level of electricity use at 19%.That is twice Kigumo constituency, which has the lowest level of electricity use. Kiharu is constituency 5 percentage points above the county average. Township ward has the highest level of electricity use at 66%.That is 65 percentage points above Kahumbu ward, which has the lowest level of electricity use. Township ward is 52 percentage points above the county average.

In Murang’a County, 39% of residents have homes with cement floors, while 60% have earth floors. Only about 1% has tiles and less than 1% has wood floors. Gatanga constituency has the highest share of cement floors at 49%. That is 18 percentage points above Mathioya and Kigumo constituencies, which have the lowest share of cement floors. Gatanga constituency is 10 percentage points above the county average. Township ward has the highest share of cement floors at 82%.That is four times Muthithi ward, which has the lowest share of cement floors. Township ward is 43 percentage points above the county average.

In Murang’a County, only 2% of residents have homes with concrete roofs, while 94% have corrugated iron roofs. Grass and makuti roofs constitute less than 1% of homes, and mud/dung roofs are absent. 1% have tile roofs.

 Kangema constituency has the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 96%. That is 4 percentage points above Kiharu constituency, which has the lowest share of concrete roofs. Kangema constituency is 2 percentage points above the county average. Kahumbu ward has the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 98%. That is 25 percentage points above Township ward, which has the lowest share of concrete roofs. Kahumbu ward is 4 percentage points above the county average.

In Murang’a County, 42% of homes have either brick or stone walls. 26% of homes have mud/wood or mud/cement walls. 15 have wood walls. 14% have corrugated iron walls. Less than 1% has grass/thatched walls. 3% have tin or other walls.

Gatanga constituency has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 58%.That is three times Mathioya constituency has the lowest share of brick/stone walls. Gatanga constituency is 16 percentage points above the county average. Ithanga ward has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 94%.That is six times Rwathia ward which has the lowest share of brick/stone walls. Ithanga ward is 52 percentage points above the county average.

Kandara constituency has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 37%.That is twice Kangema constituency, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement Kandara constituency is 11 percentage points above the county average. Kahumbu ward has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 56%.This is nine times Ithanga ward, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement walls. Kahumbu 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 Murang’a County, 41% 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 42% as compared with female headed households at 40%.

 Gatanga constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 52%. That is almost twice Kandara constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sources of water. Gatanga constituency is 12 percentage points above the county average. Township ward has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 90%. That is almost seven times Gaichanjiru ward has the lowest share using improved sources of water. Township ward is 49 percentage points above the county average.

A total of 68% of residents in Murang’a County use improved sanitation, while the rest use unimproved sanitation. Use of improved sources is insignificantly higher in male headed households at 68% as compared with female headed households at 67%.

 Kangema constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sanitation at 99%.That is almost three times Maragwa constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Kangema constituency is 31 percentage points above the county average.

 Improved sanitation is almost universal in 5 wards, namely: Muguru, Murarandia, Kiru, Township and Kariara at 99% each. This is almost five times Kakuzi/Mitumbiri ward which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Muguru, Murarandia, Kiru, Township and Kariara ward are 31 percentage points above the county average.