Mafeteng: population, jobs, schools, health, water and sanitation, poverty and crime

Mafeteng is a district of Lesotho, number 4 of 10 by population. The Lesotho Bureau of Statistics projects the population of Mafeteng district at 160,440 for 2026, 7.5% of Lesotho's 2.14 million; 4th largest of the 10 districts. The projection starts from the 2016 census count of 178,222, a fall of 10.0% (Lesotho: 6.7% more). A new census was taken in April 2026; until its results are published, these are the official figures.

Population (BOS projection, medium variant)

160,440

2026

Unemployment rate (age 15+, computed from BOS LFS tables)

31.3%

2024

Population with at least basic drinking water

75.6%

2023-24

Primary pupils per teacher (registered schools)

27.9

2023

Secondary school net attendance ratio

56.4%

2023-24

Children under 5 stunted

35.6%

2023-24

Population in the poorest national wealth fifth

11.8%

2023-24

Children 0-17 multidimensionally poor

45.6%

2018

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Mafeteng: About 31% of the labour force in Mafeteng was unemployed in the 2024 Labour Force Survey (about 22,500 people out of a labour force of 71,831), 5th highest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 30.1%). The district rate is worked out from the survey's district tables.
Health in Mafeteng: 35.6% of children under five in Mafeteng were stunted (too short for their age, a sign of long-term undernutrition) in 2023-24 and 1.1% were wasted; the stunting rate is 4th lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 35.6%).
Education in Mafeteng: Registered primary schools in Mafeteng had 27.9 pupils per teacher in 2023 (29,429 pupils, 1,055 teachers), joint 2nd lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 31.1).
Poverty and living standards in Mafeteng: 11.8% of people in Mafeteng lived in households in the poorest fifth nationally by household wealth (assets and housing) in 2023-24, and 12.2% in the richest fifth; 3rd lowest of the 10 districts for the poorest fifth (Lesotho: 20% in each fifth by definition).

Is the population of Mafeteng growing?

The projections take 2,045 people off Mafeteng between 2025 and 2026, a change of -1.26% in a year (Lesotho: +0.57%); the fastest-shrinking of the 3 districts projected to shrink.

Source: Lesotho Bureau of Statistics · saved copy

How many children do women in Mafeteng have?

At the birth rates of the three years before the 2023-24 Lesotho Demographic and Health Survey, a woman in Mafeteng would have 2.2 children in her lifetime (the total fertility rate), the lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 2.5).

Source: Ministry of Health, Lesotho (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copy

How districts are governed in Lesotho

District councils (10). Made up of representatives sent from the community councils plus two chiefs; chairperson elected indirectly. District planning and coordination of community councils.

Every tier of government in Lesotho

Other districts of Lesotho

Maseru 614,701
Leribe 385,322
Berea 275,004
Mohale's Hoek 151,396
Thaba-Tseka 140,553
Butha-Buthe 126,380
Quthing 104,804
Mokhotlong 102,791
Qacha's Nek 79,494

Up a level: Lesotho · government and power in Lesotho

Sources

Lesotho Bureau of Statistics: Lesotho 2021 Multidimensional Child Poverty Report Highlights (Figure 2: child poverty rate by district), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c1ee162b8f9…)
Lesotho Bureau of Statistics (from Lesotho Mounted Police Service records): Crime Statistics Report 2022 (Tables 2.1 and 2.2: reported serious crime by policing district), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9397635f29e4…)
Ministry of Health, Lesotho (with ICF, The DHS Program): Lesotho Demographic and Health Survey 2023-24, Final Report (district rows of Tables 2.6, 2.13, 3.3.1, 3.9.1, 5.2, 5.12, 7.3.2, 9.2, 9.7, 10.4, 11.1, 12.5.1, 14.2, 14.7 and 19.1), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d7fd2a0a8ae0…)
Lesotho Bureau of Statistics: Education Statistics Report 2023 (Tables 3.3, 3.11, 3.24, 4.5 and 4.14 by district), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 10d028910582…)
Lesotho Bureau of Statistics: 2024 Labour Force Survey Report (Tables 3.7, 4.2, 4.22 and 7.5 by district), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b444d334073b…)
Lesotho Bureau of Statistics: Lesotho Population Projections Report 2016-2036 (Table 3.1 national projections; Table 5.7 summary district projections, medium variant), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 65e2dd00bbde…)

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