Municipality profile, WC053
Beaufort West
Beaufort West is a local municipality in Western Cape. Census 2022 counted 72 972 people in 19 216 households, about 3.8 people per household. That is up 47.2% from 49 586 people in Census 2011. 99.4% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 98.0% had a flush toilet. It has the 15th largest population of the 25 municipalities in Western Cape.
Western Cape. Category B3 in the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework.
People counted in Census 2022
72 972
Up 47.2% from 49 586 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 | 49 586 | 72 972 | +47.2% |
| Households | 13 088 | 19 216 | +46.8% |
| People per household | 3.8 | 3.8 | 0.0 |
| Males per 100 females | 94.8 | 91.4 | -3.4 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 31.5% | 27.7% | -3.8 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 30.8% | 33.0% | +2.2 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 9.1% | 10.3% | +1.2 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 97.9% | 99.4% | +1.5 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 1.2% | 0.4% | -0.8 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 79.6% | 91.3% | +11.7 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 92.4% | 98.0% | +5.6 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 2.6% | 0.7% | -1.9 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 84.9% | 80.0% | -4.9 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 3.8% | 17.2% | +13.4 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 11 860 | 17 184 | +44.9% |
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
- 34 853
- Females
- 38 119
- Males per 100 females
- 91.4
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 17 184
- Aged 0 to 1427.7%
31.5% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3433.0%
30.8% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5929.0%
28.6% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over10.3%
9.1% 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 19 216 households, with about 3.8 people in each. In 2011 there were 13 088, with about 3.8 people in each.
- Formal dwelling99.4%
19 104 households
- Informal dwelling0.4%
70 households
- Traditional dwelling0.2%
35 households
- Other0.0%
7 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 scheme91.3%
17 548 households. 79.6% in 2011.
- Flush toilet98.0%
18 826 households. 92.4% in 2011.
- No toilet0.7%
137 households. 2.6% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking80.0%
15 323 households. 84.9% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking17.2%
3 290 households. 3.8% 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), 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
- Beaufort West72 972
- Average per municipality in Western Cape297 321Beaufort West has 75.5% fewer people
- Average per municipality in South Africa291 209Beaufort West has 74.9% fewer people
- People per household
- Beaufort West3.8
- Average per municipality in Western Cape3.3Beaufort West has 0.5 more people per household
- Average per municipality in South Africa3.9Beaufort West has 0.1 fewer people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Beaufort West99.4%
- Average per municipality in Western Cape89.7%Beaufort West is 9.7 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa87.0%Beaufort West is 12.4 pts higher
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Beaufort West91.3%
- Average per municipality in Western Cape91.9%Beaufort West is 0.6 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa74.3%Beaufort West is 17.0 pts higher
- Households with a flush toilet
- Beaufort West98.0%
- Average per municipality in Western Cape94.5%Beaufort West is 3.5 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa62.0%Beaufort West is 36.0 pts higher
- Electricity for cooking
- Beaufort West80.0%
- Average per municipality in Western Cape65.9%Beaufort West is 14.1 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa66.0%Beaufort West is 14.0 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).
- 99.4% of households lived in a formal dwelling, 9.7 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 Beaufort West's (72 972). 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 Beaufort West: 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.