Mohale's Hoek: population, jobs, schools, health, water and sanitation, poverty and crime

Mohale's Hoek is a district of Lesotho, number 5 of 10 by population. The Lesotho Bureau of Statistics projects the population of Mohale's Hoek district at 151,396 for 2026, 7.1% of Lesotho's 2.14 million; 5th largest of the 10 districts. The projection starts from the 2016 census count of 165,590, a fall of 8.6% (Lesotho: 6.7% more). A new census was taken in April 2026; until its results are published, these are the official figures.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Mohale's Hoek: About 22% of the labour force in Mohale's Hoek was unemployed in the 2024 Labour Force Survey (about 13,500 people out of a labour force of 62,535), the lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 30.1%). The district rate is worked out from the survey's district tables.
• Health in Mohale's Hoek: 44.7% of children under five in Mohale's Hoek were stunted (too short for their age, a sign of long-term undernutrition) in 2023-24 and 2.0% were wasted; the stunting rate is 3rd highest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 35.6%).
• Education in Mohale's Hoek: Registered primary schools in Mohale's Hoek had 27.9 pupils per teacher in 2023 (26,235 pupils, 941 teachers), joint 2nd lowest of the 10 districts (Lesotho: 31.1).
• Poverty and living standards in Mohale's Hoek: 35.7% of people in Mohale's Hoek lived in households in the poorest fifth nationally by household wealth (assets and housing) in 2023-24, and 10.0% in the richest fifth; 5th highest of the 10 districts for the poorest fifth (Lesotho: 20% in each fifth by definition).

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
• Mafeteng 160,440
• 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…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.