Municipality profile, FS195
Phumelela
Phumelela is a local municipality in Free State. Census 2022 counted 52 224 people in 15 605 households, about 3.3 people per household. That is up 9.3% from 47 772 people in Census 2011. 82.9% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 75.1% had a flush toilet. It has the 15th largest population of the 19 municipalities in Free State.
Free State. Category B3 in the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework.
People counted in Census 2022
52 224
Up 9.3% from 47 772 people in Census 2011.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Free State, page 20. 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 | 47 772 | 52 224 | +9.3% |
| Households | 12 888 | 15 605 | +21.1% |
| People per household | 3.7 | 3.3 | -0.4 |
| Males per 100 females | 94.1 | 92.1 | -2.0 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 31.7% | 27.1% | -4.6 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 34.5% | 34.0% | -0.5 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 9.0% | 10.6% | +1.6 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 73.0% | 82.9% | +9.9 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 16.6% | 11.3% | -5.3 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 75.7% | 81.0% | +5.3 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 62.6% | 75.1% | +12.5 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 6.2% | 2.1% | -4.1 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 55.8% | 60.6% | +4.8 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 3.4% | 19.3% | +15.9 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 13 325 | 13 090 | -1.8% |
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, Free State, page 20; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Free State, page 21; General housing information per municipality (1), Free State, page 22; General housing information per municipality (2), Free State, page 23. 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
- 25 033
- Females
- 27 191
- Males per 100 females
- 92.1
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 13 090
- Aged 0 to 1427.1%
31.7% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3434.0%
34.5% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5928.3%
24.8% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over10.6%
9.0% in 2011
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Free State, page 20; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Free State, page 21. 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 15 605 households, with about 3.3 people in each. In 2011 there were 12 888, with about 3.7 people in each.
- Formal dwelling82.9%
12 937 households
- Informal dwelling11.3%
1 765 households
- Traditional dwelling5.4%
836 households
- Other0.4%
67 households
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (1), Free State, page 22. 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 scheme81.0%
12 640 households. 75.7% in 2011.
- Flush toilet75.1%
11 715 households. 62.6% in 2011.
- No toilet2.1%
330 households. 6.2% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking60.6%
9 437 households. 55.8% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking19.3%
3 008 households. 3.4% 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), Free State, page 23. 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
- Phumelela52 224
- Average per municipality in Free State156 022Phumelela has 66.5% fewer people
- Average per municipality in South Africa291 209Phumelela has 82.1% fewer people
- People per household
- Phumelela3.3
- Average per municipality in Free State3.5Phumelela has 0.2 fewer people per household
- Average per municipality in South Africa3.9Phumelela has 0.6 fewer people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Phumelela82.9%
- Average per municipality in Free State87.9%Phumelela is 5.0 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa87.0%Phumelela is 4.1 pts lower
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Phumelela81.0%
- Average per municipality in Free State89.0%Phumelela is 8.0 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa74.3%Phumelela is 6.7 pts higher
- Households with a flush toilet
- Phumelela75.1%
- Average per municipality in Free State82.0%Phumelela is 6.9 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa62.0%Phumelela is 13.1 pts higher
- Electricity for cooking
- Phumelela60.6%
- Average per municipality in Free State76.9%Phumelela is 16.3 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa66.0%Phumelela is 5.4 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).
- 82.9% of households lived in a formal dwelling, 5.0 pts below the average per municipality in Free State.
- 75.1% of households had a flush toilet, 6.9 pts below the average per municipality in Free State.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Free State, page 20; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Free State, page 21; General housing information per municipality (1), Free State, page 22; General housing information per municipality (2), Free State, page 23. 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 Free State whose Census 2022 population is closest to Phumelela's (52 224). 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 Phumelela: Person indicators per municipality, Free State, page 20; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Free State, page 21; General housing information per municipality (1), Free State, page 22; General housing information per municipality (2), Free State, page 23. 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.