{"id":22,"date":"2026-07-02T01:18:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T01:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/kenya\/western\/vihiga\/"},"modified":"2026-08-01T07:53:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T07:53:08","slug":"vihiga","status":"publish","type":"western","link":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/kenya\/western\/vihiga\/","title":{"rendered":"Vihiga"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vihiga County is county 038 of Kenya’s 47, in the former Western Province. Its capital is Mbale, and the 2019 census counted 590,013 residents on just 531.3 km². That works out at about 1,110 people per square kilometre, making Vihiga the most densely settled rural county in Kenya.<\/p>\n

The county takes its name from the Maragoli word for the flat stones that outcrop across its hills. Most residents speak a Luhya dialect — Logooli, Lunyore or Lutirichi — alongside Swahili and English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Fact<\/th>\nValue<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Capital<\/th>\nMbale<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
County code<\/th>\n038<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Population<\/th>\n590,013 (2019 census)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Area<\/th>\n531.3 km²<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Former province<\/th>\nWestern<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sub-counties<\/th>\n5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Main languages<\/th>\nLogooli, Lunyore, Lutirichi, Swahili, English<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Towns and Villages in Vihiga County<\/h2>\n

Mbale is the county headquarters and its 2019 census urban core held 17,404 people. The other centres below are gazetteer estimates rather than census counts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Town<\/th>\nType<\/th>\nPopulation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Mbale<\/td>\nCounty capital<\/td>\n17,404<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Luanda<\/td>\nMarket town<\/td>\n13,319<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chavakali<\/td>\nMarket town<\/td>\n12,674<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Majengo<\/td>\nTrading centre<\/td>\n11,913<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Serem<\/td>\nTrading centre<\/td>\n3,984<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Gazetteer records list 95 named settlements across the county’s five sub-counties. All 95 are listed below.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Banja<\/li>\n
  2. Boyani<\/li>\n
  3. Bugina<\/li>\n
  4. Bumbo<\/li>\n
  5. Bunyore<\/li>\n
  6. Butiti<\/li>\n
  7. Bwanda<\/li>\n
  8. Chamakanga<\/li>\n
  9. Chavakali<\/li>\n
  10. Chavavo<\/li>\n
  11. Demesi<\/li>\n
  12. Digula<\/li>\n
  13. Ebiranyi<\/li>\n
  14. Ebukanga<\/li>\n
  15. Ebusakami<\/li>\n
  16. Ebusyubi<\/li>\n
  17. Ebuyangu<\/li>\n
  18. Ebwali<\/li>\n
  19. Ekonjero<\/li>\n
  20. Eludzu<\/li>\n
  21. Emagada<\/li>\n
  22. Emanyinya<\/li>\n
  23. Emmaloba<\/li>\n
  24. Emmatsi<\/li>\n
  25. Emuhaya<\/li>\n
  26. Eruswi<\/li>\n
  27. Esibila<\/li>\n
  28. Esibuye<\/li>\n
  29. Esirabe<\/li>\n
  30. Esirulo<\/li>\n
  31. Gambogi<\/li>\n
  32. Gavudia<\/li>\n
  33. Gavundunyi<\/li>\n
  34. Gimarakwa<\/li>\n
  35. Gimariani<\/li>\n
  36. Gisambai<\/li>\n
  37. Givole<\/li>\n
  38. Goibel<\/li>\n
  39. Hobunaka<\/li>\n
  40. Iboona<\/li>\n
  41. Idelere<\/li>\n
  42. Ilungu<\/li>\n
  43. Ishiru<\/li>\n
  44. Itegero<\/li>\n
  45. Jeprok<\/li>\n
  46. Kagubdu<\/li>\n
  47. Kaimosi<\/li>\n
  48. Kapsotik<\/li>\n
  49. Kaptiki<\/li>\n
  50. Kegondi<\/li>\n
  51. Kibagara<\/li>\n
  52. Kilingiri<\/li>\n
  53. Kima<\/li>\n
  54. Kinu<\/li>\n
  55. Kiritu<\/li>\n
  56. Kitagwa<\/li>\n
  57. Kituru<\/li>\n
  58. Luanda<\/li>\n
  59. Lusiola<\/li>\n
  60. Lwombei<\/li>\n
  61. Lwunza<\/li>\n
  62. Magui<\/li>\n
  63. Mahanga<\/li>\n
  64. Majengo<\/li>\n
  65. Makuchi<\/li>\n
  66. Maragoli<\/li>\n
  67. Masana<\/li>\n
  68. Matsigulu<\/li>\n
  69. Mbale<\/li>\n
  70. Mbihi<\/li>\n
  71. Minao<\/li>\n
  72. Mmichio<\/li>\n
  73. Mudeti<\/li>\n
  74. Muhanda<\/li>\n
  75. Muhudu<\/li>\n
  76. Mukhombe<\/li>\n
  77. Mukingi<\/li>\n
  78. Mundobera<\/li>\n
  79. Museywa<\/li>\n
  80. Musudzu<\/li>\n
  81. Muyere<\/li>\n
  82. Mwituha<\/li>\n
  83. Sabatia<\/li>\n
  84. Senende<\/li>\n
  85. Serem<\/li>\n
  86. Shamaloko<\/li>\n
  87. Sibala<\/li>\n
  88. Simbi<\/li>\n
  89. Vigina<\/li>\n
  90. Vihiga<\/li>\n
  91. Viyalo<\/li>\n
  92. Wangoya<\/li>\n
  93. Wangulu<\/li>\n
  94. Wemilabi<\/li>\n
  95. Wengondo<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Geography<\/h2>\n

    Vihiga sits on the eastern edge of the Lake Victoria basin, between 1,300 m and 1,800 m above sea level. The Maragoli Hills dominate the west and the ground rises east towards the Nandi Escarpment at Kaimosi. The River Yala forms much of the northern and eastern boundary; the Edzava and Esalwa drain the south.<\/p>\n

    Rainfall is bimodal and heavy, 1,800–2,000 mm a year, with long rains from March and short rains from August. The Kibiri and Kisere blocks in the north-east are surviving fragments of the Kakamega rainforest.<\/p>\n

    Vihiga borders Kakamega County<\/a> to the north, Nandi County<\/a> to the east, Kisumu County<\/a> to the south and Siaya County<\/a> to the west.<\/p>\n

    Vihiga’s soils are deep red loams over Precambrian basement rock, and granite and murram quarries are worked near Mbale and Chavakali. Elevation keeps temperatures moderate through the year, and frost is unknown.<\/p>\n

    Demographics<\/h2>\n

    The 2019 census recorded 590,013 people in 143,365 households, split 285,046 men and 304,959 women. Average household size is 4.1. Density of roughly 1,110 people per square kilometre means farm holdings average well under one hectare, and land fragmentation is the county’s defining pressure.<\/p>\n

    The Maragoli are the largest community, followed by the Banyore, Tiriki and Idakho. Hamisi sub-county also holds a long-settled Terik population, whose language is Kalenjin rather than Luhya.<\/p>\n

    Economy and Local Life<\/h2>\n

    Smallholder farming carries most households: maize, beans, bananas, sweet potato, avocado and local vegetables. Tea is the main cash crop in Hamisi and around Kaimosi, delivered to the Mudete factory. Dairy, poultry and granite quarrying add income, and remittances from Nairobi and abroad matter more here than in most counties.<\/p>\n

    Luanda hosts one of the largest open-air markets in western Kenya, drawing traders from Kisumu and Siaya. Mbale, Chavakali and Majengo run busy weekly markets, and Serem serves the Nandi border trade.<\/p>\n

    Land pressure shapes everything else. With holdings often below half a hectare, most families combine farming with trade, teaching, quarrying or wage work in Kisumu and Kakamega. Off-farm income, not acreage, decides household security here.<\/p>\n

    Getting There<\/h2>\n

    The A1 highway from Kisumu to Kakamega runs through Chavakali, and Mbale lies about 3 km west of it. Kisumu is roughly 40 km south and Kakamega about 20 km north. The C36 turns east at Chavakali for Kapsabet and the Nandi Hills.<\/p>\n

    Nairobi is about 380 km away by road, usually driven via Nakuru, Kericho and Kisumu. The nearest airport is Kisumu International, about 45 km from Mbale, with daily flights to Nairobi.<\/p>\n

    Matatus run from Mbale to Kisumu, Kakamega and Luanda through the day. Long-distance buses to Nairobi board at Chavakali on the highway.<\/p>\n

    FAQ<\/h2>\n

    What is the capital of Vihiga County?<\/h3>\n

    Mbale is the county headquarters. Its 2019 census urban population was 17,404.<\/p>\n

    How many towns and villages are in Vihiga County?<\/h3>\n

    Gazetteer records name 95 settlements, all listed on this page.<\/p>\n

    Which sub-counties make up Vihiga?<\/h3>\n

    Five: Vihiga, Sabatia, Hamisi, Luanda and Emuhaya.<\/p>\n

    What is the population of Vihiga County?<\/h3>\n

    590,013 at the 2019 census, on 531.3 km².<\/p>\n

    Why is Vihiga so densely populated?<\/h3>\n

    Reliable rainfall and fertile volcanic soils supported dense settlement long before independence. With about 1,110 people per square kilometre, it is Kenya’s most crowded rural county.<\/p>\n

    What language is spoken in Vihiga?<\/h3>\n

    Luhya dialects — mainly Logooli, Lunyore and Lutirichi — with Swahili and English in schools and offices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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