Port Elizabeth's 2021 population is now estimated at 1,266,533. In 1950, the population of Port Elizabeth was 192,444. Port Elizabeth has grown by 12,791 since 2015, which represents a 1.02% 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 Port Elizabeth, which typically includes Port Elizabeth's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.
| Year | Population | Growth Rate | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2035 | 1,526,866 | 1.28% | 19,265 |
| 2034 | 1,507,601 | 1.31% | 19,489 |
| 2033 | 1,488,112 | 1.34% | 19,696 |
| 2032 | 1,468,416 | 1.37% | 19,867 |
| 2031 | 1,448,549 | 1.40% | 20,003 |
| 2030 | 1,428,546 | 1.42% | 20,054 |
| 2029 | 1,408,492 | 1.44% | 19,995 |
| 2028 | 1,388,497 | 1.45% | 19,795 |
| 2027 | 1,368,702 | 1.44% | 19,415 |
| 2026 | 1,349,287 | 1.41% | 18,783 |
| 2025 | 1,330,504 | 1.36% | 17,873 |
| 2024 | 1,312,631 | 1.29% | 16,703 |
| 2023 | 1,295,928 | 1.20% | 15,378 |
| 2022 | 1,280,550 | 1.11% | 14,017 |
| 2021 | 1,266,533 | 1.02% | 12,791 |
| 2020 | 1,253,742 | 0.95% | 11,801 |
| 2019 | 1,241,941 | 0.90% | 11,122 |
| 2018 | 1,230,819 | 1.35% | 16,339 |
| 2017 | 1,214,480 | 1.35% | 16,122 |
| 2016 | 1,198,358 | 1.35% | 15,908 |
| 2015 | 1,182,450 | 1.35% | 15,697 |
| 2014 | 1,166,753 | 1.35% | 15,488 |
| 2013 | 1,151,265 | 1.35% | 15,283 |
| 2012 | 1,135,982 | 1.35% | 15,080 |
| 2011 | 1,120,902 | 1.34% | 14,859 |
| 2010 | 1,106,043 | 1.34% | 14,661 |
| 2009 | 1,091,382 | 1.34% | 14,448 |
| 2008 | 1,076,934 | 1.35% | 14,296 |
| 2007 | 1,062,638 | 1.34% | 14,087 |
| 2006 | 1,048,551 | 1.34% | 13,899 |
| 2005 | 1,034,652 | 1.34% | 13,697 |
| 2004 | 1,020,955 | 1.35% | 13,552 |
| 2003 | 1,007,403 | 1.34% | 13,354 |
| 2002 | 994,049 | 1.20% | 11,779 |
| 2001 | 982,270 | 0.82% | 8,005 |
| 2000 | 974,265 | 0.82% | 7,961 |
| 1999 | 966,304 | 0.82% | 7,885 |
| 1998 | 958,419 | 0.82% | 7,822 |
| 1997 | 950,597 | 1.10% | 10,362 |
| 1996 | 940,235 | 1.85% | 17,037 |
| 1995 | 923,198 | 1.84% | 16,705 |
| 1994 | 906,493 | 1.84% | 16,403 |
| 1993 | 890,090 | 1.84% | 16,084 |
| 1992 | 874,006 | 1.85% | 15,836 |
| 1991 | 858,170 | 3.70% | 30,640 |
| 1990 | 827,530 | 4.58% | 36,244 |
| 1989 | 791,286 | 4.57% | 34,611 |
| 1988 | 756,675 | 4.59% | 33,186 |
| 1987 | 723,489 | 4.58% | 31,687 |
| 1986 | 691,802 | 4.58% | 30,300 |
| 1985 | 661,502 | 2.92% | 18,792 |
| 1984 | 642,710 | 2.15% | 13,521 |
| 1983 | 629,189 | 2.15% | 13,219 |
| 1982 | 615,970 | 2.15% | 12,941 |
| 1981 | 603,029 | 2.14% | 12,652 |
| 1980 | 590,377 | 2.15% | 12,420 |
| 1979 | 577,957 | 2.15% | 12,143 |
| 1978 | 565,814 | 2.15% | 11,887 |
| 1977 | 553,927 | 2.14% | 11,622 |
| 1976 | 542,305 | 2.15% | 11,409 |
| 1975 | 530,896 | 2.15% | 11,155 |
| 1974 | 519,741 | 2.15% | 10,918 |
| 1973 | 508,823 | 2.14% | 10,676 |
| 1972 | 498,147 | 2.15% | 10,480 |
| 1971 | 487,667 | 2.15% | 10,245 |
| 1970 | 477,422 | 4.75% | 21,666 |
| 1969 | 455,756 | 5.23% | 22,635 |
| 1968 | 433,121 | 5.24% | 21,569 |
| 1967 | 411,552 | 5.23% | 20,467 |
| 1966 | 391,085 | 5.23% | 19,449 |
| 1965 | 371,636 | 5.23% | 18,458 |
| 1964 | 353,178 | 5.24% | 17,587 |
| 1963 | 335,591 | 5.23% | 16,690 |
| 1962 | 318,901 | 5.23% | 15,859 |
| 1961 | 303,042 | 5.02% | 14,496 |
| 1960 | 288,546 | 4.14% | 11,468 |
| 1959 | 277,078 | 4.13% | 10,997 |
| 1958 | 266,081 | 4.13% | 10,561 |
| 1957 | 255,520 | 4.13% | 10,128 |
| 1956 | 245,392 | 4.14% | 9,753 |
| 1955 | 235,639 | 4.13% | 9,352 |
| 1954 | 226,287 | 4.13% | 8,981 |
| 1953 | 217,306 | 4.13% | 8,614 |
| 1952 | 208,692 | 4.14% | 8,294 |
| 1951 | 200,398 | 4.13% | 7,954 |
| 1950 | 192,444 | 0.00% |
| Name | 2021 Population | 2021 Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 5,926,668 | 2.49% |
| Cape Town | 4,709,990 | 2.00% |
| Ekurhuleni | 3,969,937 | 1.94% |
| Durban | 3,176,254 | 0.57% |
| Pretoria | 2,655,282 | 3.49% |
| Port Elizabeth | 1,266,533 | 1.02% |
| West Rand | 909,301 | 1.30% |
| Soshanguve | 866,005 | 1.48% |
| Vereeniging | 779,530 | 0.71% |
| Buffalo City | 717,067 | 1.20% |
| Bloemfontein | 577,560 | 1.86% |
| Pietermaritzburg | 532,766 | 1.11% |
| Rustenburg | 532,711 | 4.58% |
| Witbank | 470,249 | 3.51% |
| Polokwane | 444,859 | 4.52% |