Richards Bay's 2026 population is now estimated at 74,183. In 2001, the population of Richards Bay was 39,122. Richards Bay has grown by 23,650 in the last year, which represents a 2.59% annual change.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 6,559,190 | 1.78% |
| Cape Town | 5,147,500 | 1.66% |
| Durban | 3,343,940 | 1.3% |
| Pretoria | 3,015,320 | 2.03% |
| Port Elizabeth | 1,349,290 | 1.41% |
| Vereeniging | 823,757 | 1.33% |
| Bloemfontein | 628,850 | 1.62% |
| Rustenburg | 621,905 | 2.3% |
| Pietermaritzburg | 568,925 | 1.44% |
| Witbank | 534,248 | 2.03% |
| Polokwane | 518,547 | 2.28% |
| East London | 295,644 | 1.02% |
| Newcastle | 291,484 | 1% |
| Uitenhage | 242,924 | 1.02% |
| Kimberley | 225,155 | 1.02% |
| Welkom | 211,014 | 1.01% |
| Paarl | 197,735 | 1.03% |
| Klerksdorp | 189,496 | 1.01% |
| Botshabelo | 181,712 | 1% |
| Middelburg | 163,809 | 1.06% |
| Middelburg | 163,809 | 1.06% |
| George | 157,397 | 1.03% |
| Carletonville | 149,065 | 0.99% |
| Potchefstroom | 148,804 | 1.02% |
| Mthatha | 137,589 | 1.03% |
| Sasolburg | 113,368 | 1.03% |
| Queenstown | 98,988 | 1.02% |
| Kroonstad | 97,780 | 1.01% |
| Worcester | 97,075 | 1.02% |
| Orkney | 91,854 | 1.01% |
| Thohoyandou | 89,427 | 1% |
| Standerton | 84,383 | 1.03% |
| Ermelo | 83,735 | 1.05% |
| Stellenbosch | 80,316 | 1.03% |
| Bethlehem | 76,015 | 1.01% |
| Mokopane | 75,516 | 1.04% |
| Heidelberg | 71,661 | 1.04% |
| Atlantis | 69,055 | 1.02% |
| Upington | 67,581 | 1.02% |
| Grahamstown | 67,264 | 1.01% |
| Virginia | 66,208 | 0.99% |
| Mossel Bay | 65,887 | 1.02% |
| Brits | 65,113 | 1.04% |
| Mahikeng | 64,359 | 1.02% |
| Stilfontein | 63,836 | 1% |
| Mpumalanga | 62,406 | 1% |
| Oudtshoorn | 61,508 | 1.01% |
| Bethal | 60,780 | 1.05% |
| Thaba Nchu | 60,696 | 0.99% |
| Nelspruit | 58,670 | 1.08% |
| Phuthaditjhaba | 56,251 | 1.01% |
| Delmas | 52,125 | 1.04% |
| Kokstad | 51,540 | 1.07% |
| Knysna | 50,029 | 1.03% |
| Barberton | 48,505 | 1.04% |
| Ekangala | 48,492 | 1.03% |
| Parys | 48,169 | 1.01% |
| Vryheid | 47,365 | 1.03% |
| Hermanus | 46,856 | 1.05% |
| Vryburg | 46,639 | 1.03% |
| Bothaville | 46,029 | 0.99% |
| Lichtenburg | 45,449 | 1.05% |
| Mondlo | 44,981 | 1.02% |
| Butterworth | 44,308 | 1% |
| Modimolle | 41,988 | 1.02% |
| Lydenburg | 41,403 | 1.06% |
| Schweizer-Reneke | 41,227 | 1.02% |
| Fochville | 38,491 | 1.01% |
| Vredenburg | 38,382 | 1.04% |
| Port Shepstone | 37,089 | 1.04% |
| Siyabuswa | 36,882 | 1.01% |
| Cradock | 36,671 | 1.02% |
| Malmesbury | 35,897 | 1.05% |
| Graaff-Reinet | 35,672 | 1.01% |
| Aliwal North | 35,153 | 1.02% |
| Dundee | 34,924 | 1.02% |
| Bronkhorstspruit | 34,395 | 1.04% |
| Beaufort West | 34,085 | 1.01% |
| Wolmaransstad | 33,492 | 1.04% |
| Plettenberg Bay | 31,822 | 1.06% |
| Viljoenskroon | 31,468 | 1.02% |
| Grabouw | 31,291 | 1.04% |
| Nigel | 30,276 | 1.01% |
| Postmasburg | 30,089 | 1.04% |
| De Aar | 29,989 | 1.01% |
| Thabazimbi | 28,846 | 1.08% |
| Cullinan | 28,451 | 1.03% |
| Whittlesea | 28,248 | 0.99% |
| Saldanha | 28,142 | 1.03% |
| Bloemhof | 27,904 | 1.02% |
| Harrismith | 27,869 | 1.01% |
| Robertson | 27,714 | 1.03% |
| Empangeni | 27,606 | 1.08% |
| Heilbron | 27,407 | 1.01% |
| Howick | 27,087 | 1.05% |
| Wesselsbron | 26,808 | 1% |
| Margate | 26,786 | 1.05% |
| Ulundi | 26,538 | 1.01% |
| Balfour | 25,969 | 1.03% |
| Port Alfred | 25,858 | 1.02% |
| Ladybrand | 25,816 | 1.02% |
| Mpophomeni | 25,732 | 1.02% |
| Fort Beaufort | 25,668 | 1.01% |
| Senekal | 25,543 | 1.01% |
| Louis Trichardt | 25,359 | 1.05% |
| Stutterheim | 24,672 | 1.01% |
| Volksrust | 24,281 | 1.02% |
| Ceres | 23,873 | 1.01% |
| Theunissen | 23,513 | 1% |
| Jan Kempdorp | 23,003 | 1.04% |
| Hendrina | 22,786 | 1.05% |
| Warrenton | 22,588 | 1.06% |
| Christiana | 20,882 | 1.02% |
| Reitz | 20,183 | 1.01% |
| Barkly West | 20,105 | 1.04% |
| Koster | 19,498 | 1.06% |
| Deneysville | 19,478 | 1.02% |
| Allanridge | 19,337 | 1% |
| Greytown | 19,313 | 1.02% |
| Somerset East | 18,824 | 1.01% |
| Vredendal | 18,170 | 1.02% |
| Vrede | 17,689 | 1% |
| Clocolan | 17,602 | 1.01% |
| Glencoe | 17,548 | 1.02% |
| Swellendam | 17,522 | 1.03% |
| Villiers | 17,315 | 0.99% |
| Colesberg | 16,870 | 1.03% |
| Riversdale | 16,177 | 1.02% |
| Hoopstad | 16,033 | 1.03% |
| Burgersdorp | 15,991 | 1.02% |
| Zeerust | 15,987 | 1.02% |
| Zastron | 15,607 | 1.04% |
| Bredasdorp | 15,524 | 1.02% |
| Marquard | 15,502 | 1.02% |
| Kriel | 15,237 | 1.03% |
| Montagu | 15,176 | 1.04% |
| Ritchie | 14,850 | 1.03% |
| Elliot | 14,376 | 1% |
| Phalaborwa | 13,108 | 1% |