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 1,875 in the last year, which represents a 2.59% 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% |
| Welkom | 237,772 | 0.8% |
| Klerksdorp | 236,456 | 1.49% |
| George | 232,679 | 2.64% |
| Stanger | 229,150 | 3.61% |
| Mthatha | 228,120 | 3.43% |
| Potchefstroom | 210,536 | 2.34% |
| Botshabelo | 191,882 | 0.36% |
| Sasolburg | 185,405 | 3.33% |
| Ermelo | 174,939 | 5.03% |
| Embalenhle | 172,255 | 2.5% |
| Mdantsane | 157,341 | -0.57% |
| Ladysmith | 151,439 | 1.58% |
| Heidelberg | 132,563 | 4.19% |
| Mokopane | 131,488 | 3.77% |
| Standerton | 130,472 | 2.95% |
| Carletonville | 130,079 | -0.9% |
| Bethal | 128,671 | 5.13% |
| Hammanskraal | 128,143 | 2.07% |
| Stellenbosch | 127,094 | 3.11% |
| Queenstown | 126,422 | 1.64% |
| Worcester | 126,231 | 1.77% |
| Nelspruit | 124,204 | 5.13% |
| Tweefontein | 119,605 | 1.52% |
| Brits | 113,364 | 3.77% |
| Orkney | 110,463 | 1.24% |
| Kroonstad | 110,095 | 0.79% |
| Kokstad | 109,110 | 5.13% |
| eMkhondo | 107,033 | 4.24% |
| King William's Town | 104,432 | 1.99% |
| Delmas | 97,568 | 4.27% |
| Mossel Bay | 95,370 | 2.5% |
| Atlantis | 93,992 | 2.08% |
| Upington | 93,072 | 2.16% |
| Bethlehem | 92,691 | 1.33% |
| Hermanus | 90,926 | 4.52% |
| Nkowankowa | 90,733 | 5.13% |
| Musina | 90,347 | 5.13% |
| Lichtenburg | 89,943 | 4.66% |
| Mahikeng | 89,125 | 2.19% |
| Lydenburg | 87,650 | 5.13% |
| Mankweng | 87,428 | 5.13% |
| Thohoyandou | 86,469 | -0.22% |
| Trichardt | 86,359 | 4.59% |
| Barberton | 82,515 | 3.6% |
| Ekangala | 79,090 | 3.31% |
| Grahamstown | 76,466 | 0.86% |
| Knysna | 76,075 | 2.83% |
| Mkhuhlu | 75,924 | 5.13% |
| Bela-Bela | 74,523 | 3.42% |
| Richards Bay | 74,183 | 2.59% |
| Vryheid | 73,445 | 2.97% |
| Oudtshoorn | 72,337 | 1.09% |
| Malmesbury | 70,183 | 4.57% |
| Leslie | 68,989 | 5.04% |
| Port Shepstone | 68,781 | 4.2% |
| Vryburg | 68,268 | 2.57% |
| Plettenberg Bay | 67,367 | 5.13% |
| Vredenburg | 64,758 | 3.55% |
| Phuthaditjhaba | 63,882 | 0.85% |
| Tongaat | 63,403 | 1.06% |
| Bronkhorstspruit | 62,034 | 4.01% |
| Virginia | 61,178 | -0.53% |
| Thabazimbi | 61,067 | 5.13% |
| Mpumalanga | 60,516 | -0.2% |
| Wolmaransstad | 59,989 | 3.96% |
| Stilfontein | 59,662 | -0.45% |
| Schweizer-Reneke | 58,493 | 2.36% |
| Empangeni | 58,442 | 5.13% |
| Modimolle | 58,093 | 2.19% |
| Mondlo | 57,737 | 1.68% |
| Odendaalsrus | 57,645 | -0.67% |
| Jeffreys Bay | 57,386 | 5.13% |
| Parys | 55,641 | 0.97% |
| Thaba Nchu | 55,275 | -0.62% |
| Howick | 55,118 | 4.85% |
| Grabouw | 54,626 | 3.78% |
| Margate | 54,259 | 4.82% |
| Louis Trichardt | 53,685 | 5.13% |
| Phola | 52,467 | 3.38% |
| Letlhabile | 52,197 | 1.54% |
| Ficksburg | 51,766 | 1.53% |
| Postmasburg | 51,096 | 3.59% |
| Elukwatuni | 49,006 | 3.06% |
| Dundee | 48,511 | 2.22% |
| Aliwal North | 48,243 | 2.13% |
| Hendrina | 48,238 | 5.13% |
| Warrenton | 47,819 | 5.13% |
| Cradock | 46,553 | 1.6% |
| Fochville | 45,563 | 1.13% |
| Cullinan | 44,632 | 3.05% |
| Humansdorp | 44,170 | 2.85% |
| Siyabuswa | 43,647 | 1.13% |
| Mandini | 42,962 | 2.13% |
| Kwaggafontein | 42,854 | -0.34% |
| Butterworth | 42,019 | -0.35% |
| Saldanha | 41,734 | 2.66% |
| Bothaville | 41,650 | -0.67% |
| Koster | 41,277 | 5.13% |
| Graaff-Reinet | 41,095 | 0.95% |
| Frankfort | 40,711 | 3% |
| Robertson | 40,291 | 2.52% |
| Beaufort West | 39,918 | 1.06% |
| Bloemhof | 39,769 | 2.39% |
| Viljoenskroon | 39,399 | 1.51% |
| Jan Kempdorp | 38,784 | 3.55% |
| Balfour | 38,162 | 2.6% |
| Wembesi | 37,867 | 1.97% |
| De Aar | 37,123 | 1.43% |
| Port Alfred | 35,419 | 2.12% |
| Mpophomeni | 35,251 | 2.12% |
| Barkly West | 34,337 | 3.63% |
| Ladybrand | 34,249 | 1.9% |
| Nigel | 33,434 | 0.66% |
| Ventersdorp | 33,420 | 2.8% |
| Folweni | 33,049 | 0.56% |
| Estcourt | 32,818 | 2.68% |
| Fort Beaufort | 31,933 | 1.47% |
| Ulundi | 31,546 | 1.16% |
| Volksrust | 31,386 | 1.72% |
| Senekal | 30,814 | 1.26% |
| Harrismith | 30,767 | 0.66% |
| Ottosdal | 30,744 | 3.49% |
| Hartbeestfontein | 30,528 | 3.36% |
| Heilbron | 30,511 | 0.72% |
| Hartbeestfontein A | 30,359 | 0.95% |
| Douglas | 29,658 | 2.63% |
| Gonubie | 29,572 | 2.71% |
| Christiana | 29,531 | 2.34% |
| Moloto | 29,505 | 3.19% |
| Middelburg | 29,469 | 3.09% |
| Ceres | 28,855 | 1.27% |
| Mooi Rivier | 28,533 | 3.07% |
| Zastron | 28,273 | 4.04% |
| Stutterheim | 28,162 | 0.88% |
| Clydesdale | 27,891 | 4.07% |
| Deneysville | 27,649 | 2.36% |
| Carolina | 27,625 | 3.35% |
| Groot Brakrivier | 27,549 | 4.12% |
| Montagu | 27,283 | 3.99% |
| Bultfontein | 27,232 | 1.03% |
| Coligny | 26,922 | 3% |
| Wesselsbron | 26,351 | -0.11% |
| Vredendal | 26,081 | 2.44% |
| Greytown | 26,072 | 2.02% |
| Swellendam | 25,748 | 2.6% |
| Hoopstad | 25,738 | 3.2% |
| Colesberg | 25,642 | 2.83% |
| Theunissen | 25,157 | 0.45% |
| Reitz | 25,107 | 1.46% |
| Phomolong | 24,808 | 1.26% |
| Glencoe | 24,420 | 2.23% |
| Whittlesea | 24,401 | -0.97% |
| Kriel | 23,301 | 2.87% |
| Riversdale | 23,003 | 2.38% |
| Somerset East | 22,795 | 1.28% |
| Ritchie | 22,623 | 2.85% |
| Verena | 22,434 | 1.58% |
| Zeerust | 21,916 | 2.13% |
| Bredasdorp | 20,851 | 1.99% |
| Burgersdorp | 20,530 | 1.68% |
| Marquard | 20,003 | 1.71% |
| Ncotshane | 19,865 | 1.32% |
| Clocolan | 19,128 | 0.56% |
| Allanridge | 18,847 | -0.17% |
| Umzinto | 18,729 | 0.97% |
| Amandelbult Mine | 18,664 | -0.9% |
| Vaalbank | 18,242 | 0.76% |
| Tshiame | 18,231 | 1.37% |
| Vrede | 18,099 | 0.15% |
| Dimbaza | 17,780 | -1.34% |
| Redhill | 16,591 | -1.01% |
| Villiers | 16,025 | -0.52% |
| Elliot | 13,376 | -0.48% |
| Phalaborwa | 13,367 | 0.13% |
| Frischgewaagd | 12,561 | -0.48% |