Municipality profile, NMA
Nelson Mandela Bay
Nelson Mandela Bay is a metropolitan municipality in Eastern Cape. Census 2022 counted 1 190 496 people in 307 931 households, about 3.9 people per household. That is up 3.3% from 1 152 115 people in Census 2011. 92.0% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 93.5% had a flush toilet. It has the largest population of the 33 municipalities in Eastern Cape.
People counted in Census 2022
1 190 496
Up 3.3% from 1 152 115 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 11. 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 | 1 152 115 | 1 190 496 | +3.3% |
| Households | 324 279 | 307 931 | -5.0% |
| People per household | 3.6 | 3.9 | +0.3 |
| Males per 100 females | 92.3 | 89.8 | -2.5 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 25.5% | 22.3% | -3.2 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 35.6% | 32.4% | -3.2 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 9.2% | 13.5% | +4.3 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 87.2% | 92.0% | +4.8 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 12.0% | 7.4% | -4.6 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 96.6% | 96.4% | -0.2 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 89.4% | 93.5% | +4.1 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 1.9% | 1.0% | -0.9 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 86.1% | 77.0% | -9.1 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 3.3% | 19.8% | +16.5 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 269 961 | 255 462 | -5.4% |
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 11; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 14; 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
- 563 211
- Females
- 627 285
- Males per 100 females
- 89.8
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 255 462
- Aged 0 to 1422.3%
25.5% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3432.4%
35.6% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5931.8%
29.6% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over13.5%
9.2% in 2011
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 11; 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 307 931 households, with about 3.9 people in each. In 2011 there were 324 279, with about 3.6 people in each.
- Formal dwelling92.0%
283 398 households
- Informal dwelling7.4%
22 793 households
- Traditional dwelling0.4%
1 202 households
- Other0.2%
538 households
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 14. 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 scheme96.4%
296 999 households. 96.6% in 2011.
- Flush toilet93.5%
288 048 households. 89.4% in 2011.
- No toilet1.0%
3 008 households. 1.9% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking77.0%
236 853 households. 86.1% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking19.8%
60 871 households. 3.3% 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
- Nelson Mandela Bay1 190 496
- Average of the other 7 metros3 387 100Nelson Mandela Bay has 64.9% fewer people
- People per household
- Nelson Mandela Bay3.9
- Average of the other 7 metros3.3Nelson Mandela Bay has 0.6 more people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Nelson Mandela Bay92.0%
- Average of the other 7 metros88.1%Nelson Mandela Bay is 3.9 pts higher
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Nelson Mandela Bay96.4%
- Average of the other 7 metros94.3%Nelson Mandela Bay is 2.1 pts higher
- Households with a flush toilet
- Nelson Mandela Bay93.5%
- Average of the other 7 metros84.5%Nelson Mandela Bay is 9.0 pts higher
- Electricity for cooking
- Nelson Mandela Bay77.0%
- Average of the other 7 metros68.0%Nelson Mandela Bay is 9.0 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). Metros are compared with the other metros, not with their province.
- 92.0% of households lived in a formal dwelling, 3.9 pts above the average of the other 7 metros.
- 93.5% of households had a flush toilet, 9.0 pts above 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 11; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 14; 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 Nelson Mandela Bay's (1 190 496). Where two are equally close, the lower municipal code comes first.
- Buffalo City975 255 people. 85.6% formal dwellings, 80.7% 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 Nelson Mandela Bay: Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 11; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 14; 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.