The city population, according to the 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census, was estimated at 325,357. However, the number is rapidly growing. There is, however, a significant population of primarily Government and corporate workers who ordinarily reside in Nyeri but who, during the census, choose to be counted in their areas of origin or the areas where their families are residents. The town has a relatively low cost of living in comparison to Nairobi and other major urban centers in Kenya. Located in Kenya's fertile highlands, food and water are plentiful and relatively cheap.