How can I have 22 settlers?

So, can someone explain how I have 22 settlers in Sanctuary when limit is 20? I have 10 charisma level and 2 local leaders. These are my stats:

Food: 42

Water: 67

Power: 70

Defense: 106

Beds: 21 (I didn't expect to get 22 people lol)


10 base + 11 more from your CHA level of 10 = 21.

Adding Codsworth to this makes 22.


I have the Charisma bobblehead and max Charisma, and can maintain 24 settlers per settlement. I'm not wearing special clothing, and it happened because I had 5 people at the settlement, and then sent 10 from one other settlement, and 9 from another, on accident because I thought I had sent the same ones a couple of times.

The 24 people are there to stay and they're operating 17 shops + plenty of food and water + 100+ defense, stuck at 97% happiness, but all I've seen online says 21 and 22, nah, I definitely have 24.

I could assign them all and I have left since on another save because the 100% happiness is taking forever, just to come back multiple times and they're all still there.

  • Xbox One

Caravans passing through will temporarily increase the number of settlers you have in the settlement. I believe the same applies for faction patrols as well.


I believe the settler limit is actually 10+charisma+local leader rank.

Most of my settlements are pegged at that number instead of just 10+charisma.