Municipality profile, NW381
Ratlou
Ratlou is a local municipality in North West. Census 2022 counted 128 766 people in 31 273 households, about 4.1 people per household. That is up 20.0% from 107 339 people in Census 2011. 93.7% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 21.1% had a flush toilet. It has the 11th largest population of the 18 municipalities in North West.
North West. Category B4 in the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework.
People counted in Census 2022
128 766
Up 20.0% from 107 339 people in Census 2011.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, North West, page 32. 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 | 107 339 | 128 766 | +20.0% |
| Households | 26 889 | 31 273 | +16.3% |
| People per household | 4.0 | 4.1 | +0.1 |
| Males per 100 females | 91.6 | 93.9 | +2.3 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 38.7% | 35.2% | -3.5 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 30.6% | 31.9% | +1.3 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 10.3% | 11.1% | +0.8 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 89.9% | 93.7% | +3.8 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 5.3% | 2.9% | -2.4 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 53.3% | 56.1% | +2.8 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 3.2% | 21.1% | +17.9 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 12.6% | 7.8% | -4.8 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 61.5% | 63.6% | +2.1 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 1.1% | 19.1% | +18.0 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 34 578 | 38 765 | +12.1% |
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, North West, page 32; Distribution of population by broad age groups, North West, page 33; General housing information per municipality (1), North West, page 34; General housing information per municipality (2), North West, page 35. 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
- 62 364
- Females
- 66 403
- Males per 100 females
- 93.9
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 38 765
- Aged 0 to 1435.2%
38.7% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3431.9%
30.6% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5921.7%
20.3% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over11.1%
10.3% in 2011
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, North West, page 32; Distribution of population by broad age groups, North West, page 33. 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 31 273 households, with about 4.1 people in each. In 2011 there were 26 889, with about 4.0 people in each.
- Formal dwelling93.7%
29 305 households
- Informal dwelling2.9%
912 households
- Traditional dwelling3.0%
950 households
- Other0.3%
106 households
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (1), North West, page 34. 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 scheme56.1%
17 540 households. 53.3% in 2011.
- Flush toilet21.1%
6 614 households. 3.2% in 2011.
- No toilet7.8%
2 448 households. 12.6% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking63.6%
19 800 households. 61.5% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking19.1%
5 950 households. 1.1% 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), North West, page 35. 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
- Ratlou128 766
- Average per municipality in North West211 364Ratlou has 39.1% fewer people
- Average per municipality in South Africa291 209Ratlou has 55.8% fewer people
- People per household
- Ratlou4.1
- Average per municipality in North West3.6Ratlou has 0.5 more people per household
- Average per municipality in South Africa3.9Ratlou has 0.2 more people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Ratlou93.7%
- Average per municipality in North West90.3%Ratlou is 3.4 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa87.0%Ratlou is 6.7 pts higher
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Ratlou56.1%
- Average per municipality in North West75.7%Ratlou is 19.6 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa74.3%Ratlou is 18.2 pts lower
- Households with a flush toilet
- Ratlou21.1%
- Average per municipality in North West58.6%Ratlou is 37.5 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa62.0%Ratlou is 40.9 pts lower
- Electricity for cooking
- Ratlou63.6%
- Average per municipality in North West69.9%Ratlou is 6.3 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa66.0%Ratlou is 2.4 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).
- 93.7% of households lived in a formal dwelling, 3.4 pts above the average per municipality in North West.
- 21.1% of households had a flush toilet, 37.5 pts below the average per municipality in North West.
- 7.8% of households had no toilet.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, North West, page 32; Distribution of population by broad age groups, North West, page 33; General housing information per municipality (1), North West, page 34; General housing information per municipality (2), North West, page 35. 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 North West whose Census 2022 population is closest to Ratlou's (128 766). 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 Ratlou: Person indicators per municipality, North West, page 32; Distribution of population by broad age groups, North West, page 33; General housing information per municipality (1), North West, page 34; General housing information per municipality (2), North West, page 35. 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.