Quick facts
Nakuru overview
Nakuru (orange) and the other large cities of Kenya
Nakuru lies in Nakuru County in Kenya at 0.31°S, 36.07°E, about 1,802 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Nairobi (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Mombasa (1,208,333) and larger than Ruiru (490,120). The largest city in Kenya is Nairobi with 4,397,073 people; the capital, Nairobi, has 4,397,073.
The national capital, Nairobi, is about 136 km away; the nearest large city is Naivasha, 60 km from Nakuru.
Kenya as a whole has a live population of 58,963,111 (+1.9% a year) and ranks #26 of 238 countries — see the Kenya population page for the full statistics and the Kenya atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Nakuru
Largest cities in Kenya
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NairobiCapital | Nairobi County | 4,397,073 |
| 2 | Kakamega | Kakamega County | 1,867,579 |
| 3 | Mombasa | Mombasa County | 1,208,333 |
| 4 | Nakuru | Nakuru County | 570,674 |
| 5 | Ruiru | Kiambu County | 490,120 |
| 6 | Eldoret | Uasin Gishu County | 475,716 |
| 7 | Kisumu | Kisumu County | 397,957 |
| 8 | Kikuyu | Kiambu County | 323,881 |
| 9 | Thika | Nairobi County | 251,407 |
| 10 | Naivasha | Nakuru County | 198,444 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Nakuru?
Nakuru has about 570,674 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Nakuru the capital of Kenya?
No. The capital of Kenya is Nairobi (4,397,073 people), about 136 km away. Nakuru is the 4th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Nakuru compared with the rest of Kenya?
Its 570,674 residents are 1% of the 58,963,111 people living in Kenya today. Nairobi is larger with 4,397,073 people.
Where is Nakuru?
In Nakuru County, Kenya, at latitude -0.31 and longitude 36.07, 1,802 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Naivasha (60 km), Limuru (110 km), Karuri (123 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Nakuru Population 2026 — Kenya. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/kenya/nakuru/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/kenya/nakuru/">Nakuru Population 2026 — Kenya</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.