Municipality profile, WC043
Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay is a local municipality in Western Cape. Census 2022 counted 140 075 people in 52 985 households, about 2.6 people per household. That is up 56.6% from 89 430 people in Census 2011. 92.5% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 97.1% had a flush toilet. It has the 8th largest population of the 25 municipalities in Western Cape.
Western Cape. Category B2 in the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework.
People counted in Census 2022
140 075
Up 56.6% from 89 430 people in Census 2011.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Western Cape, page 6. 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 | 89 430 | 140 075 | +56.6% |
| Households | 28 023 | 52 985 | +89.1% |
| People per household | 3.2 | 2.6 | -0.6 |
| Males per 100 females | 95.8 | 93.5 | -2.3 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 23.1% | 17.9% | -5.2 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 32.2% | 28.8% | -3.4 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 14.4% | 21.5% | +7.1 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 85.9% | 92.5% | +6.6 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 12.3% | 5.8% | -6.5 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 93.0% | 97.2% | +4.2 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 90.9% | 97.1% | +6.2 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 3.5% | 0.9% | -2.6 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 86.1% | 61.1% | -25.0 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 7.6% | 37.8% | +30.2 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 16 634 | 21 472 | +29.1% |
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, Western Cape, page 6; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Western Cape, page 7; General housing information per municipality (1), Western Cape, page 8; General housing information per municipality (2), Western Cape, page 9. 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
- 67 674
- Females
- 72 401
- Males per 100 females
- 93.5
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 21 472
- Aged 0 to 1417.9%
23.1% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3428.8%
32.2% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5931.8%
30.2% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over21.5%
14.4% in 2011
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Western Cape, page 6; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Western Cape, page 7. 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 52 985 households, with about 2.6 people in each. In 2011 there were 28 023, with about 3.2 people in each.
- Formal dwelling92.5%
49 000 households
- Informal dwelling5.8%
3 063 households
- Traditional dwelling1.5%
778 households
- Other0.3%
144 households
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (1), Western Cape, page 8. 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 scheme97.2%
51 509 households. 93.0% in 2011.
- Flush toilet97.1%
51 467 households. 90.9% in 2011.
- No toilet0.9%
492 households. 3.5% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking61.1%
32 313 households. 86.1% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking37.8%
19 995 households. 7.6% 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), Western Cape, page 9. 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
- Mossel Bay140 075
- Average per municipality in Western Cape297 321Mossel Bay has 52.9% fewer people
- Average per municipality in South Africa291 209Mossel Bay has 51.9% fewer people
- People per household
- Mossel Bay2.6
- Average per municipality in Western Cape3.3Mossel Bay has 0.7 fewer people per household
- Average per municipality in South Africa3.9Mossel Bay has 1.3 fewer people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Mossel Bay92.5%
- Average per municipality in Western Cape89.7%Mossel Bay is 2.8 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa87.0%Mossel Bay is 5.5 pts higher
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Mossel Bay97.2%
- Average per municipality in Western Cape91.9%Mossel Bay is 5.3 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa74.3%Mossel Bay is 22.9 pts higher
- Households with a flush toilet
- Mossel Bay97.1%
- Average per municipality in Western Cape94.5%Mossel Bay is 2.6 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa62.0%Mossel Bay is 35.1 pts higher
- Electricity for cooking
- Mossel Bay61.1%
- Average per municipality in Western Cape65.9%Mossel Bay is 4.8 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa66.0%Mossel Bay is 4.9 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).
- 92.5% of households lived in a formal dwelling, 2.8 pts above the average per municipality in Western Cape.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Western Cape, page 6; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Western Cape, page 7; General housing information per municipality (1), Western Cape, page 8; General housing information per municipality (2), Western Cape, page 9. 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 Western Cape whose Census 2022 population is closest to Mossel Bay's (140 075). 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 Mossel Bay: Person indicators per municipality, Western Cape, page 6; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Western Cape, page 7; General housing information per municipality (1), Western Cape, page 8; General housing information per municipality (2), Western Cape, page 9. 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.