Midlands: population, jobs, cost of living, poverty, health, schooling, water and housing
Midlands is a province of Zimbabwe, number 4 of 10 by population. The 2022 Population and Housing Census counted 1,811,905 people in Midlands province (870,430 men and boys, 941,475 women and girls), 11.9% of Zimbabwe's 15,178,957; 4th largest of the 10 provinces.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Midlands: 16.7% of the labour force aged 15 and over in Midlands was unemployed at the 2022 census (strict definition: without work and looking for it), joint 3rd highest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 14.8%); the rate was 21.5% for women and 13.5% for men.
- Health in Midlands: The 2022 census recorded an under-five mortality rate of 41.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in Midlands and an infant mortality rate of 25.7; the under-five rate is 3rd highest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 39.7 and 24.2).
- Education in Midlands: 51.1% of secondary-school-age children in Midlands were attending secondary school in 2023-24 (net attendance ratio), 4th lowest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 53.5%).
- Poverty and living standards in Midlands: 73.8% of people in Midlands lived below the total consumption poverty line in 2017, ZIMSTAT's latest provincial poverty measurement (PICES 2017), 3rd lowest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 70.5%).
Is the population of Midlands growing?
Midlands' population grew from 1,614,941 in the 2012 census to 1,811,905 in 2022, an average of 1.2% a year, 5th slowest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 1.5% a year).
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) · saved copyHow many people in Midlands live in towns?
27.4% of Midlands' people lived in urban areas at the 2022 census (496,494 urban, 1,315,411 rural), 5th most urban of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 38.6%). The province had 37 people per square kilometre (Zimbabwe: 39).
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) · saved copyHow many children do women in Midlands have?
Women in Midlands had 4.0 children each on average according to the 2022 census, joint 4th highest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 3.7).
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) · saved copyAre births registered in Midlands?
52.8% of children under five in Midlands had their birth registered with the civil authorities in 2023-24, 3rd lowest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 56.6%); 38.5% had a birth certificate.
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and Ministry of Health and Child Care, with ICF (The DHS Program) · saved copyHow provinces are governed in Zimbabwe
Provinces (8) and metropolitan provinces (2: Harare, Bulawayo). In practice a Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution appointed by the President; constitutional provincial/metropolitan councils not yet in operation. Coordinates government programmes in the province.
Every tier of government in Zimbabwe
Other provinces of Zimbabwe
- Harare 2,427,231
- Manicaland 2,037,703
- Mashonaland West 1,893,584
- Mashonaland East 1,731,173
- Masvingo 1,638,528
- Mashonaland Central 1,384,891
- Matabeleland North 827,645
- Matabeleland South 760,345
- Bulawayo 665,952
Up a level: Zimbabwe · government and power in Zimbabwe · cities
Sources
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT): 2022 Population and Housing Census Report (Volume 1): appendix tables by province, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bdebd23be87e…)
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and Ministry of Health and Child Care, with ICF (The DHS Program): Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey 2023-24: Final Report (province rows of the tables), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0a74a171032f…)
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT): Poverty Datum Lines: Food and Total Consumption Poverty Lines per person per month by province, April 2024 to October 2026, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 49b9d5ceb7eb…)
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT): Zimbabwe Poverty Report 2017 (PICES 2017), Tables 2.7 and 2.8: poverty by province, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2aeb02bbf4c7…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.