Background
In a departure from previous practice, the 2022 census was the first digital census conducted by South Africa and used three modes of collection: Computer-assisted Personal Interview (CAPI); Computer-assisted Web Interview (CAWI); and Computer-assisted Telephonic Interview (CATI).
Censuses are the principal means of collecting basic population and housing statistics required for planning, decision-making and monitoring of policies in all sectors of the economy in a country. Population and housing censuses provide detailed statistics on population composition, characteristics, and spatial distribution to the lowest geographical area. South Africa has conducted four censuses (1996, 2001, 2011 and 2022).
Census 2022 was the first digital census to be conducted in the post-1994 democratic dispensation, driven by the fundamental benefits of a technology-driven census, including real-time data collection, processing and timely, quality data. Census 2022’s strategic approach was thus to ensure that most processes such as the geography frame, data collection instruments/tools, and data processing were largely technology driven.
For more information on Cape Town, please explore the available resources on this page.
2022 census
This initial release shows that the population of Cape Town is 4 772 846 (27.6% higher than the 2011 Census, and a slowdown from the previous intercensal period). The number of households is 1 452 845 (36.0% higher than the previous census, and also a slowdown from previous intercensal period). Moreover, the average household size has declined from 3.5 to 3.3 persons since the previous Census 2011.
Read or download our Census 2022 high-level indicators infographic and
Census 2022 Profile for more information, or view the high-level Census 2022 dashboard.
Stats SA release census information in phases. The first phase of the Census 2022 information was released on 10 October 2023 and only covers high-level reports and selected indicators at the national, provincial, district and local municipality level. The census datasets, including sub-metro data and other standard indicators, will only be available in later phases. The release dates for later phase results have not yet been announced.