South African Population in North Carolina by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights

The South African population in North Carolina totals 3,433, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Charlotte (581), followed by Chapel Hill (146) and Wake Forest (145), each hosting visible segments of the community. While these urban centers anchor much of the population, the statewide total points to a broader presence in unincorporated areas and smaller towns beyond major city boundaries. The analysis below explores how South African residents are distributed across North Carolina''s urban and rural landscape.

Top 5 cities with the largest South African population in North Carolina

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  • 1
    Charlotte
    South African population in Charlotte is 581
    0.07% of Charlotte population is South African
  • 2
    Chapel Hill
    South African population in Chapel Hill is 146
    0.24% of Chapel Hill population is South African
  • 3
    Wake Forest
    South African population in Wake Forest is 145
    0.28% of Wake Forest population is South African
  • 4
    Durham
    South African population in Durham is 127
    0.04% of Durham population is South African
  • 5
    Raleigh
    South African population in Raleigh is 124
    0.03% of Raleigh population is South African

Overview of South African population in North Carolina

  • Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey data indicate North Carolina contains 3,433 South African residents (0.032% of 10.6 million total state population), positioning the state at the 89th percentile nationally among U.S. states for South African population concentrations.
  • Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census data records indicate North Carolina's South African population of 0.032% exceeds the national average of 0.025% by a factor of 1.3.
  • Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey records show North Carolina hosts 3,433 South African residents, representing 4.1% of the nation's total South African population of 83,184, establishing the state as a significant demographic concentration center within national boundaries.
  • Population Density per Square Mile: U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey data indicates North Carolina's density of 0.071 South African Americans per square mile exceeds the national average of 0.024 per square mile by nearly triple, establishing the state as a significant concentration center for South African demographic communities.
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419 Cities in North Carolina Ranked by South African Population

View Methodology
American Community Survey data [1] show South African population in North Carolina present in Charlotte, Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest, along with several other incorporated cities reporting non-zero populations. The table below provides broader statistics, including total population figures, density measures, and demographic distributions based on current ACS data for all incorporated cities included in this analysis*.
cities in North Carolina ranked by South African population count
Rank by South African Population
City
South African Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total North Carolina South African Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Charlotte 581 0.07% 16.92%
2 Chapel Hill 146 0.24% 4.25%
3 Wake Forest 145 0.28% 4.22%
4 Durham 127 0.04% 3.70%
5 Raleigh 124 0.03% 3.61%
6 Weddington 108 0.80% 3.15%
7 Wilmington 83 0.07% 2.42%
8 77 0.29% 2.24%
9 76 0.03% 2.21%
10 64 0.30% 1.86%
11 52 0.02% 1.51%
12 47 0.11% 1.37%
13 42 0.02% 1.22%
14 38 0.04% 1.11%
15 37 0.19% 1.08%
16 34 0.16% 0.99%
17 29 1.72% 0.84%
18 25 0.74% 0.73%
19 23 0.07% 0.67%
20 22 0.01% 0.64%
21 15 0.01% 0.44%
21 15 0.01% 0.44%
21 15 0.03% 0.44%
22 13 0.04% 0.38%
23 11 0.04% 0.32%
24 9 0.29% 0.26%
25 8 0.18% 0.23%
25 8 0.30% 0.23%
26 7 0.01% 0.20%
27 6 0.28% 0.17%
28 5 0.30% 0.15%
29 3 0.02% 0.09%
30 2 0.05% 0.06%
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Methodology

This ranking list is based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS is one of the most reliable sources for understanding population trends across different locations, and it provides estimates for various racial and ethnic groups at city, county, state and all geography levels down to the Census block group.
This list ranks city in North Carolina by their South African population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census defines South African population

The U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-identify their ancestry, meaning individuals can write upto ancestries when responding to the survey. In this ranking, we include everyone who identifies as having South African ancestry, whether alone or in combination with another ancestry.
Here are a few important things to know about how ancestry is reported:
  • Some people identify as South African alone, while others identify as South African along with another race (such as South African and German).
  • We’ve used the “South African alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the South African population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as South African alone or in combination in city. To provide additional context, we’ve also included two key percentages:
  1. % of Total City Population – This shows what percentage of the total state population identifies as South African .
  2. % of Total North Carolina South African Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. South African population lives in that state.
To keep things simple, all population numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number, and percentages are rounded to one decimal place. Because of rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100%.

Things to Keep in Mind

Like all survey-based data, ACS estimates come with some limitations. Here are a few things to be aware of:
  • In places with very small South African populations, the numbers may not be reported at all due to privacy protections or sampling variability in the survey.
  • Since the ACS is based on a sample, the numbers are estimates, not exact counts. That means they may slightly differ from other sources like the decennial U.S. Census.
  • City that don’t have any reported South African population are not included in the ranking but are listed separately below for reference.
This ranking is meant to provide a clear, data-driven look at where South African populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

  1. 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
  2. 2023.