Municipality profile, GT484
Merafong City
Merafong City is a local municipality in Gauteng. Census 2022 counted 225 476 people in 77 599 households, about 2.9 people per household. That is up 14.2% from 197 520 people in Census 2011. 91.6% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 94.1% had a flush toilet. It has the 7th largest population of the 9 municipalities in Gauteng.
Gauteng. Category B2 in the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework.
People counted in Census 2022
225 476
Up 14.2% from 197 520 people in Census 2011.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Gauteng, page 36. 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 | 197 520 | 225 476 | +14.2% |
| Households | 66 624 | 77 599 | +16.5% |
| People per household | 3.0 | 2.9 | -0.1 |
| Males per 100 females | 118.6 | 103.7 | -14.9 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 24.1% | 24.2% | +0.1 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 38.1% | 36.0% | -2.1 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 5.4% | 8.0% | +2.6 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 74.7% | 91.6% | +16.9 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 21.3% | 8.1% | -13.2 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 93.1% | 95.2% | +2.1 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 83.1% | 94.1% | +11.0 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 1.0% | 0.3% | -0.7 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 76.1% | 72.1% | -4.0 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 1.8% | 25.9% | +24.1 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 40 116 | 47 618 | +18.7% |
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, Gauteng, page 36; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Gauteng, page 37; General housing information per municipality (1), Gauteng, page 38; General housing information per municipality (2), Gauteng, page 39. 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
- 114 789
- Females
- 110 687
- Males per 100 females
- 103.7
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 47 618
- Aged 0 to 1424.2%
24.1% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3436.0%
38.1% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5931.8%
32.4% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over8.0%
5.4% in 2011
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Gauteng, page 36; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Gauteng, page 37. 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 77 599 households, with about 2.9 people in each. In 2011 there were 66 624, with about 3.0 people in each.
- Formal dwelling91.6%
71 086 households
- Informal dwelling8.1%
6 281 households
- Traditional dwelling0.2%
119 households
- Other0.1%
113 households
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (1), Gauteng, page 38. 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 scheme95.2%
73 911 households. 93.1% in 2011.
- Flush toilet94.1%
73 045 households. 83.1% in 2011.
- No toilet0.3%
249 households. 1.0% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking72.1%
55 862 households. 76.1% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking25.9%
20 095 households. 1.8% 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), Gauteng, page 39. 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
- Merafong City225 476
- Average per municipality in Gauteng1 677 713Merafong City has 86.6% fewer people
- Average per municipality in South Africa291 209Merafong City has 22.6% fewer people
- People per household
- Merafong City2.9
- Average per municipality in Gauteng2.9Merafong City is about the same
- Average per municipality in South Africa3.9Merafong City has 1.0 fewer people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Merafong City91.6%
- Average per municipality in Gauteng89.9%Merafong City is 1.7 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa87.0%Merafong City is 4.6 pts higher
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Merafong City95.2%
- Average per municipality in Gauteng93.8%Merafong City is 1.4 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa74.3%Merafong City is 20.9 pts higher
- Households with a flush toilet
- Merafong City94.1%
- Average per municipality in Gauteng91.8%Merafong City is 2.3 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa62.0%Merafong City is 32.1 pts higher
- Electricity for cooking
- Merafong City72.1%
- Average per municipality in Gauteng63.7%Merafong City is 8.4 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa66.0%Merafong City is 6.1 pts higher
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).
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Gauteng, page 36; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Gauteng, page 37; General housing information per municipality (1), Gauteng, page 38; General housing information per municipality (2), Gauteng, page 39. 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 Gauteng whose Census 2022 population is closest to Merafong City's (225 476). 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 Merafong City: Person indicators per municipality, Gauteng, page 36; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Gauteng, page 37; General housing information per municipality (1), Gauteng, page 38; General housing information per municipality (2), Gauteng, page 39. 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.