Cape Town Population 2024

Cape Town's 2024 population is now estimated at 4,977,833In 1950, the population of Cape Town was 618,051Cape Town has grown by 87,553 in the last year, which represents a 1.79% annual change.These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Cape Town, which typically includes Cape Town's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.

Cape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa behind Johannesburg, and it is the provincial capital of the Western Cape. Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town is famous around the world for its beautiful harbor and is considered one of the best places in the world to visit.

Censuses

The most recent census in South Africa was completed in 2011. At this point, the population of Cape Town was counted as 3,740,026, with a growth rate of 2.57% over ten years. If this growth rate is sustained, it will put the 2018 population of Cape Town at somewhere around 3.81 million, which is a bit higher than the UN estimates.

City Size and Population Density

Cape Town is part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality, approximately 400 square kilometers in area with a population density of 1,530 people per square kilometer.

Cape Town has many notable neighborhoods. The Atlantic Seaboard to the west of Cape Town, for example, has some of the most expensive real estate in the country and the highest concentration of multimillionaires in the city. The Northern Suburbs are comprised mostly of Afrikaans-speaking people while the Southern Suburbs are mostly English-speaking people. The Cape Flats to the southeast of the central business district is often called "Apartheid's dumping ground" as it became home to people the apartheid government considered non-white.

Cape Town Demographics

Cape Town is one of the most multicultural cities in the world and is a significant destination for expatriates and immigrants.

The ethnic and racial composition of Cape Town is:

  • 42.4% "Coloured"
  • 38.6% "Black African"
  • 15.7% "White"
  • 1.4% "Asian or Indian"
  • 1.9% other

Apartheid in South Africa is still felt in Cape Town. The Apartheid system in the city designated the African population based on tribe, allocating every person to one of nine tribes. The racial category of " colored" is very contentious in the country, and it is often a way to lump together the rest of the population that does not fit into one of the nine tribes or identities. The colored population is mostly concentrated in the Western Cape, and many are descended from slaves brought to work on farms in the area during the 17th century.

The 2011 census also found that the share of colored people in the Western Cape fell from 54% in 2001 to 49.6% in 2011 while the white population dropped from 18.4% to 16%. The black population increased from 26.7% to 33.4% while the Indian population grew slightly to 1.1%.

Cape Town Population Growth

Cape Town was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652 as a stopping point for ships traveling to the Dutch East Indies. The city grew relatively slowly until the 20th century, reaching a population of 171,000 in 1901. Since then it has increased by a consistent 2-3% annually to reach its current population of nearly 4 million.

Cape Town grew 2.6% from 2001 to 2011, reaching a metro population of 3.75 million. In 2013, the Western Cape was one of 4 provinces in South Africa that showed significant growth, with the Western Cape's population growing by nearly 1.5 million people over twelve years. The province's share of South Africa's population increased from 10.1% to 11.4% over this time.

Cape Town and the Western Cape are attracting many migrants, primarily due to the area being an employment hub. Unfortunately, Cape Town cannot keep up with the pace of migration for long as it puts a great deal of pressure on the city and businesses which provide jobs.

Growth Rate
1.79%

Cape Town Population 2024

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Growth
1950618,051
1951634,4692.66%16,418
1952651,3472.66%16,878
1953668,6262.65%17,279
1954686,3882.66%17,762
1955704,6212.66%18,233
1956723,3652.66%18,744
1957742,5542.65%19,189
1958762,2802.66%19,726
1959782,5302.66%20,250
1960803,3462.66%20,816
1961829,0673.2%25,721
1962856,6763.33%27,609
1963885,2033.33%28,527
1964914,7223.33%29,519
1965945,1403.33%30,418
1966976,6143.33%31,474
19671,009,1363.33%32,522
19681,042,7883.33%33,652
19691,077,4643.33%34,676
19701,114,0333.39%36,569
19711,155,7783.75%41,745
19721,199,1483.75%43,370
19731,244,0203.74%44,872
19741,290,6363.75%46,616
19751,338,9983.75%48,362
19761,389,2443.75%50,246
19771,441,2283.74%51,984
19781,495,2343.75%54,006
19791,551,2643.75%56,030
19801,609,4743.75%58,210
19811,669,7003.74%60,226
19821,732,2673.75%62,567
19831,797,1793.75%64,912
19841,864,6173.75%67,438
19851,925,4913.26%60,874
19861,969,3512.28%43,860
19872,014,2112.28%44,860
19882,060,1572.28%45,946
19892,107,0202.27%46,863
19902,155,0162.28%47,996
19912,206,4382.39%51,422
19922,264,3032.62%57,865
19932,323,5202.62%59,217
19942,384,3712.62%60,851
19952,446,8152.62%62,444
19962,510,9852.62%64,170
19972,576,7412.62%65,756
19982,644,3492.62%67,608
19992,713,7312.62%69,382
20002,785,0322.63%71,301
20012,858,0032.62%72,971
20022,932,7142.61%74,711
20033,009,2702.61%76,556
20043,087,9332.61%78,663
20053,168,4282.61%80,495
20063,251,1362.61%82,708
20073,336,0042.61%84,868
20083,423,2092.61%87,205
20093,512,4432.61%89,234
20103,604,1322.61%91,689
20113,698,2142.61%94,082
20123,794,8872.61%96,673
20133,894,0872.61%99,200
20143,995,8802.61%101,793
20154,100,3342.61%104,454
20164,207,5192.61%107,185
20174,317,5052.61%109,986
20184,430,3672.61%112,862
20194,524,1112.12%93,744
20204,617,5602.07%93,449
20214,709,9902%92,430
20224,800,9541.93%90,964
20234,890,2801.86%89,326
20244,977,8331.79%87,553
20255,063,5831.72%85,750
20265,147,4991.66%83,916
20275,229,6511.6%82,152
20285,310,2141.54%80,563
20295,389,4851.49%79,271
20305,467,6951.45%78,210
20315,544,9781.41%77,283
20325,621,3481.38%76,370
20335,696,8761.34%75,528
20345,771,5331.31%74,657
20355,845,2991.28%73,766
showing: 86 rows

Cape Town Population Data (Urban Area)

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Other Cities in South Africa

  1. Statistics South Africa - City of Cape Town data and statistics
  2. Western Cape Government - Regional development profile of the city of Cape Town

Sources