Municipality profile, EC137
Engcobo
Engcobo is a local municipality in Eastern Cape. Census 2022 counted 132 799 people in 24 307 households, about 5.5 people per household. That is down 14.6% from 155 513 people in Census 2011. 67.1% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 28.7% had a flush toilet. It has the 18th largest population of the 33 municipalities in Eastern Cape.
Eastern Cape. Category B4 in the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework.
People counted in Census 2022
132 799
Down 14.6% from 155 513 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 | 155 513 | 132 799 | -14.6% |
| Households | 37 214 | 24 307 | -34.7% |
| People per household | 4.2 | 5.5 | +1.3 |
| Males per 100 females | 86.1 | 91.4 | +5.3 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 39.5% | 33.8% | -5.7 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 30.2% | 29.2% | -1.0 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 10.6% | 13.6% | +3.0 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 30.7% | 67.1% | +36.4 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 1.7% | 0.6% | -1.1 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 27.5% | 35.4% | +7.9 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 4.6% | 28.7% | +24.1 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 43.5% | 10.1% | -33.4 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 35.7% | 60.4% | +24.7 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 4.4% | 29.0% | +24.6 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 56 315 | 40 794 | -27.6% |
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
- 63 403
- Females
- 69 396
- Males per 100 females
- 91.4
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 40 794
- Aged 0 to 1433.8%
39.5% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3429.2%
30.2% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5923.4%
19.7% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over13.6%
10.6% 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 24 307 households, with about 5.5 people in each. In 2011 there were 37 214, with about 4.2 people in each.
- Formal dwelling67.1%
16 300 households
- Informal dwelling0.6%
157 households
- Traditional dwelling32.0%
7 784 households
- Other0.3%
66 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 scheme35.4%
8 616 households. 27.5% in 2011.
- Flush toilet28.7%
6 964 households. 4.6% in 2011.
- No toilet10.1%
2 461 households. 43.5% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking60.4%
14 614 households. 35.7% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking29.0%
7 006 households. 4.4% 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
- Engcobo132 799
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape219 097Engcobo has 39.4% fewer people
- Average per municipality in South Africa291 209Engcobo has 54.4% fewer people
- People per household
- Engcobo5.5
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape3.9Engcobo has 1.6 more people per household
- Average per municipality in South Africa3.9Engcobo has 1.6 more people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Engcobo67.1%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape82.3%Engcobo is 15.2 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa87.0%Engcobo is 19.9 pts lower
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Engcobo35.4%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape60.8%Engcobo is 25.4 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa74.3%Engcobo is 38.9 pts lower
- Households with a flush toilet
- Engcobo28.7%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape52.8%Engcobo is 24.1 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa62.0%Engcobo is 33.3 pts lower
- Electricity for cooking
- Engcobo60.4%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape63.5%Engcobo is 3.1 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa66.0%Engcobo is 5.6 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).
- 67.1% of households lived in a formal dwelling, 15.2 pts below the average per municipality in Eastern Cape.
- 28.7% of households had a flush toilet, 24.1 pts below the average per municipality in Eastern Cape.
- 10.1% of households had no toilet.
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 Engcobo's (132 799). Where two are equally close, the lower municipal code comes first.
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 Engcobo: 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.