Municipality profile, BUF
Buffalo City
Buffalo City is a metropolitan municipality in Eastern Cape. Census 2022 counted 975 255 people in 268 438 households, about 3.6 people per household. That is up 24.7% from 781 853 people in Census 2011. 85.6% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 80.7% had a flush toilet. It has the 2nd largest population of the 33 municipalities in Eastern Cape.
People counted in Census 2022
975 255
Up 24.7% from 781 853 people in Census 2011.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Census 2011 and Census 2022
| Measure | 2011 | 2022 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 781 853 | 975 255 | +24.7% |
| Households | 230 764 | 268 438 | +16.3% |
| People per household | 3.4 | 3.6 | +0.2 |
| Males per 100 females | 90.4 | 89.9 | -0.5 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 26.5% | 24.8% | -1.7 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 36.0% | 32.8% | -3.2 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 9.0% | 11.9% | +2.9 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 71.9% | 85.6% | +13.7 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 22.1% | 11.2% | -10.9 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 91.0% | 92.1% | +1.1 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 69.1% | 80.7% | +11.6 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 6.6% | 0.8% | -5.8 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 74.5% | 66.0% | -8.5 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 3.7% | 28.7% | +25.0 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 195 367 | 233 425 | +19.5% |
Change is SA Data Hub's calculation from the two figures: a percentage change for counts, and the difference in percentage points (pts) for shares. Cooking shares are of households that named a cooking fuel; Stats SA leaves out “none”.
The 2011 and 2022 figures cover the same area. Stats SA, Census 2022 Municipal fact sheet (Report no. 03-01-82, revised), page 1: “Census 2011 indicators were generated based on aligned census data to current municipal boundaries (2021)”.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13; General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
See how all municipalities changed between Census 2011 and Census 2022
Questions people ask: Which province is a municipality in? · Which municipalities grew fastest between Census 2011 and Census 2022? · How many municipalities are there in South Africa?
People
- Males
- 461 693
- Females
- 513 562
- Males per 100 females
- 89.9
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 233 425
- Aged 0 to 1424.8%
26.5% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3432.8%
36.0% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5930.5%
28.5% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over11.9%
9.0% in 2011
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Housing
Census 2022 counted 268 438 households, with about 3.6 people in each. In 2011 there were 230 764, with about 3.4 people in each.
- Formal dwelling85.6%
229 710 households
- Informal dwelling11.2%
30 160 households
- Traditional dwelling3.0%
7 942 households
- Other0.2%
627 households
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Water, toilets and cooking
- Water from a regional or local scheme92.1%
247 178 households. 91.0% in 2011.
- Flush toilet80.7%
216 678 households. 69.1% in 2011.
- No toilet0.8%
2 137 households. 6.6% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking66.0%
176 849 households. 74.5% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking28.7%
76 992 households. 3.7% in 2011.
Shares of households. Cooking shares are of households that named a cooking fuel. Water from another source includes boreholes, tankers, rivers and springs.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
How it compares
- Population, 2022
- Buffalo City975 255
- Average of the other 7 metros3 417 849Buffalo City has 71.5% fewer people
- People per household
- Buffalo City3.6
- Average of the other 7 metros3.3Buffalo City has 0.3 more people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Buffalo City85.6%
- Average of the other 7 metros89.0%Buffalo City is 3.4 pts lower
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Buffalo City92.1%
- Average of the other 7 metros94.9%Buffalo City is 2.8 pts lower
- Households with a flush toilet
- Buffalo City80.7%
- Average of the other 7 metros86.3%Buffalo City is 5.6 pts lower
- Electricity for cooking
- Buffalo City66.0%
- Average of the other 7 metros69.6%Buffalo City is 3.6 pts lower
Each average is the simple mean of the municipal figures, so a small municipality counts as much as a large one. Gaps between shares are in percentage points (pts). Metros are compared with the other metros, not with their province.
- 85.6% of households lived in a formal dwelling, 3.4 pts below the average of the other 7 metros.
- 80.7% of households had a flush toilet, 5.6 pts below the average of the other 7 metros.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13; General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Similar municipalities
The 4 other municipalities in Eastern Cape whose Census 2022 population is closest to Buffalo City's (975 255). Where two are equally close, the lower municipal code comes first.
- Nelson Mandela Bay1 190 496 people. 92.0% formal dwellings, 93.5% flush toilets.
- King Sabata Dalindyebo476 558 people. 84.6% formal dwellings, 47.6% flush toilets.
- Ngquza Hill354 573 people. 76.6% formal dwellings, 17.9% flush toilets.
- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela350 000 people. 70.4% formal dwellings, 16.1% flush toilets.
Sources
Every 2011 and 2022 figure on this page is from Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43, revised edition, originally released 10 October 2023), which gives Census 2011 figures alongside Census 2022 ones. Tables for Buffalo City: Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13; General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. SA Data Hub checked them against the publication on 28 October 2026.
Changes, shares of the total, averages and similar municipalities are SA Data Hub's own calculations from those figures. Corrections are listed on the updates page.