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 46.3 up to ward level.

 Table 46: Overall Employment by Education levels in Wajir County

In Wajir County, 4% of the residents with no formal education, 6% of those with a primary education and 20% of 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 twice the level in Wajir 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. Wajir County’s Gini index is 0.321 compared with Turkana County, which has the least inequality nationally (0.283).

Less than 1% of residents in Wajir County use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and 1% use paraffin. 95% use firewood and 4% use charcoal. Firewood is the most common cooking fuel by gender; 95% in male and 94% in female headed households.

Tarbaj constituency has the highest level of firewood use in Wajir County at 99%.This is 14 percentage points above Wajir East constituency, which has the lowest share at 85%. Tarbaj constituency is about 4 percentage points above the county average. Twelve wards, have the highest level of firewood use in Wajir County at 99%.This is 37 percentage points above Township ward, which has the lowest share at 62%. These twelve wards are 4 percentage points above the county average.

Wajir East constituency has the highest level of charcoal use in Wajir County at 12%.This is 11 percentage points above Tarbaj constituency. Wajir East constituency is 8 percentage points above the county average. Township ward has the highest level of charcoal use in Wajir County at 31%.This is 31 percentage points more than Tarbaj ward, which has the lowest share. Township ward is 27 percentage points above the county average.

Only 3% of residents in Wajir County use electricity as their main source of lighting. A further 31% use lanterns, and 17% use tin lamps. 29% use fuel wood. Electricity use is mostly common in female headed households at 5% as compared with male headed households at 3%.

 Wajir East constituency has the highest level of electricity use at 15%.That is 15 percentage points above Wajir North constituency, which has no level of electricity use. Wajir East constituency is 12 percentage points above the county average. Township ward has the highest level of electricity use at 36%.That is 36 percentage points above 18 wards, which have no level of electricity use. Township ward is 33 percentage points above the county average.

In Wajir County, 7% of residents have homes with cement floors, while 92% have earth floors. Less than 1% has wood or tile floors. Wajir East constituency has the highest share of cement floors at 23%.That is 23 percentage points above Tarbaj constituency, which has the lowest share of cement floors. Wajir East constituency is 16 percentage points above the county average. Township ward has the highest share of cement floors at 50%.That is 50 percentage points above Arbajahan ward, which has no record of cement floors. Township ward is 43 percentage points above the county average.

In Wajir County, less than 1% of residents have homes with concrete roofs, while 10% have corrugated iron sheet roofs. Grass and makuti roofs constitute 89% of homes, and less than 1% has mud/dung roofs.

 Wajir East constituency has the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 23%.That is 22 percentage points above Tarbaj constituency, which has the lowest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs. Wajir East constituency is 13 percentage points above the county average. Township ward has the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 50%.That is 50 percentage points above Tarbaj ward, which has the lowest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs. Township ward is 40 percentage points above the county average.

 Tarbaj constituency has the highest share of grass/makuti roofs at 99%.That is 24 percentage points above Wajir East constituency, which has the lowest share of grass/makuti roofs. Tarbaj constituency is 10 percentage points above the county average. Wargadud ward has the highest share of grass/makuti roofs at 100%. This is twice Township ward, which has the lowest share. Wargadud ward is 11 percentage points above the county average.

In Wajir County, 7% of homes have either brick or stone walls. 7% of homes have mud/wood or mud/cement walls. 8% have wood walls. Less than 1% has corrugated iron walls. 77% have grass/thatched walls. Less than 1% has tin or other walls.

Wajir East constituency has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 24%.That is 24 percentage points above Tarbaj constituency, which has the lowest share of brick/stone walls. Wajir East constituency is 17 percentage points above the county average. Township ward has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 51%.That is 51 percentage points above Bur-Der ward, which hasno share of brick/stone walls. Township ward is 44 percentage points above the county average.

 Wajir North constituency has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 17%.That is 16 percentage points above Wajir East constituency, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement. Wajir North constituency is 10 percentage points above the county average. Bute ward has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 31%.That is 31 percentage points above Ganyure ward, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement walls. Bute ward is 24 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 Wajir County, 46% 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 46% of male headed households and 48% in female headed households using it.

 Wajir West constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 60%. That is twice Eldas constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sources of water. Wajir West constituency is 14 percentage points above the county average. Dadaja Bulla ward has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 98%.That is 97 percentage points above Wagalla ward, which has the lowest share using improved sources of water. Dadaja Bulla ward is 52 percentage points above the county average.

Only 7% of residents in Wajir County use improved sanitation, while the rest use unimproved sanitation. Use of improved sanitation is slightly higher in female headed households at 9% as compared with male headed households at 6%.

Wajir South constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sanitation at 12%.That is four times Eldas constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Wajir South constituency is 5 percentage points above the county average. Habaswein ward has the highest share of residents using improved sanitation at 32%.That is 32 percentage points above Ganyure ward, which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Habaswein ward is 25 percentage points above the county average.