Free State: population, jobs, living conditions, health, schools and provincial budgets

Free State is a province of South Africa, number 8 of 9 by population. Statistics South Africa estimated the population of Free State at 3,039,834 in mid-2025 (1,426,903 male, 1,612,930 female), 4.8% of South Africa's 63.10 million; 2nd smallest of the nine provinces. This is an official mid-year estimate (a model projection), not a census count.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Free State: 37.3% of the labour force in Free State was unemployed in April-June 2026 (official definition), down from 38.5% a year earlier; 3rd highest of the nine provinces (South Africa: 33.6%).
• Health in Free State: Life expectancy at birth in Free State is estimated at 57.3 years for men and 64.2 years for women over 2021-2026, the shortest of the nine provinces; in 2001-2006 it was 43.1 and 48.2 years.
• Education in Free State: 89.3% of the 38,205 full-time candidates in Free State passed the 2025 National Senior Certificate (matric) exams, down from 91.0% in 2024; 2nd highest of the nine provinces (South Africa: 88.0%).
• Poverty and living standards in Free State: About 1,393,000 people in Free State, 45.2% of residents, received a social grant or relief payment in 2025, 4th lowest of the nine provinces (South Africa: 39.5%).
• Government budget and revenue in Free State: The Free State provincial government spent R47.0 billion in 2025/26, 99.1% of its adjusted budget of R47.4 billion and about R15,453 per resident; 2nd highest of the nine provinces per person (5.8% of all provincial spending).

How provinces are governed in South Africa

Provinces (9). Provincial legislature elected by proportional representation (list of parties); the legislature elects a premier, who appoints an executive council of 5–10 members. Health, schools, housing and roads within national framework laws; oversees municipalities.

Every tier of government in South Africa

Other provinces of South Africa

• Gauteng 16,104,933
• KwaZulu-Natal 12,232,247
• Western Cape 7,627,688
• Eastern Cape 7,090,788
• Limpopo 6,366,192
• Mpumalanga 5,076,133
• North West 4,183,947
• Northern Cape 1,379,183

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Sources

• National Treasury: 2026 Budget Review, Chapter 6, Table 6.2: provincial equitable share 2025/26 to 2028/29, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3eafdcfc79f3…)
• Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, Research Unit: Crime statistics analysis: Quarter 4 (2025/26), murder ratio by province from the SAPS fourth-quarter crime statistics presentation, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 823e2eb871fe…)
• Statistics South Africa: General Household Survey 2025 (Statistical release P0318): Tables 2.2 and 14.1 and addendum tables by province (release as archived by DataFirst, UCT), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 69b5db681d83…)
• Department of Basic Education: 2025 National Senior Certificate Examination Report: Tables 6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.1.3 and 6.3.8, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 786eb1c79f20…)
• Statistics South Africa: Mid-year population estimates 2025 (Statistical release P0302): Tables 8 and 10, Figures 9, 11 and 12 (copy published by the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e25293a1d345…)
• Statistics South Africa: Quarterly Labour Force Survey, Quarter 2: 2026 (Statistical release P0211): Tables D, E, 2.3, 3.2 and 3.4 (release as archived by DataFirst, UCT), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ccfdb081197b…)
• National Treasury: Provincial budgets and expenditure, 4th quarter 2025/26 (Section 32 of the PFMA): statement of receipts and payments per province, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 87389aabde0c…)

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