Port Elizabeth's 2026 population is now estimated at 1,047,642. In 2001, the population of Port Elizabeth was 778,141. Port Elizabeth has grown by 12,388 in the last year, which represents a 1.2% annual change. These population values and projections come from South Africa urban places census series via CityPopulation and World Population Review Internal Projections .
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 12,043,175 | 2.88% |
| Cape Town | 4,974,327 | 2.51% |
| Durban | 3,303,046 | 1.14% |
| Pretoria | 3,296,921 | 4.26% |
| Port Elizabeth | 1,047,642 | 1.2% |
| Soshanguve | 971,322 | 1.94% |
| Evaton | 697,718 | 0.95% |
| Bloemfontein | 668,963 | 2.46% |
| Rustenburg | 660,294 | 5.13% |
| Witbank | 608,669 | 4.56% |
| Pietermaritzburg | 584,702 | 1.39% |
| Vereeniging | 515,483 | 2.09% |
| Polokwane | 481,421 | 5.13% |
| East London | 423,375 | 2.42% |
| Somerset West | 351,347 | 4.26% |
| Middelburg | 346,784 | 5.13% |
| Uitenhage | 342,315 | 2.31% |
| Paarl | 313,059 | 3.11% |
| Newcastle | 309,627 | 0.4% |
| Kimberley | 301,647 | 1.97% |