Chhatarpur district, M.P. covers 8,687 square kilometers and had a population of 1.762 million in 2011, which is estimated to be 2.055 million in 2021. The district has a sex ratio of 884 females per 1000 males and a literacy rate of 64.9%. The urbanization rate is 22.64%, and the majority of the people are living in the rural areas. The population increased by 19.54% between 2001 and 2011.
Quick Overview of Chhatarpur District Census 2021
- District Name: Chhatarpur (also written Chhattarpur)
- State: Madhya Pradesh
- Headquarters: Chhatarpur town
- Area (district): about 8,687 sq.km
- Population 2011 (district): 1,762,375 (17.62 lakh)
- Male Population 2011: 936,121
- Female Population 2011: 826,254
- Population 2001 (district): 1,474,723 (14.75 lakh)
- Population Growth 2001–2011 (district): 19.54%
- Population 2011 Share in MP: about 2.43% of state population
- Projected Population 2021 (district): 2,050,000 (20.55 lakh)
- Projected Population 2025 (district): 2,140,000 (21.48 lakh)
- Projected Population 2026 (district): 2,160,000 (21.64 lakh)
- Overall Sex Ratio 2011 (govt & wiki): 883–884 females per 1000 males
- Sex Ratio 2001: about 869–870 females per 1000 males
- Population Density 2011: around 203 persons per sq.km
- Urbanisation 2011: 22.64% urban; 77.36% rural
- Overall Literacy Rate 2011 (district): 64.90%
- Male Literacy Rate 2011: about 75–76%
- Female Literacy Rate 2011: about 53–55%
- Total Households 2011 (district): 356,297
Population – 2011 vs 2001 (Chhatarpur District)
| Description |
2011 |
2001 |
| Actual Population |
1,762,375 |
1,474,723 |
| Male Population |
936,121 |
788,933 |
| Female Population |
826,254 |
685,790 |
| Population (in Lakhs) |
17.62 |
14.75 |
| Decadal Population Growth |
19.54% |
about 25–26% |
| Area (sq.km) |
8,687 |
8,687 |
| Population Density (per sq.km) |
203 |
170 |
| Sex Ratio (females per 1000 males) |
883–884 |
869–870 |
Population Projections – Chhatarpur District 2011–2031
| Year |
Projected Population |
Population (Lakhs) |
| 2011 (actual) |
1,762,375 |
17.62 |
| 2021 |
2,050,000 |
20.55 |
| 2022 |
2,080,000 |
20.84 |
| 2023 |
2,100,000 |
21.08 |
| 2024 |
2,120,000 |
21.30 |
| 2025 |
2,140,000 |
21.48 |
| 2026 |
2,160,000 |
21.64 |
| 2027 |
2,170,000 |
21.78 |
| 2028 |
2,180,000 |
21.89 |
| 2029 |
2,190,000 |
21.99 |
| 2030 |
2,200,000 |
22.08 |
| 2031 |
2,210,000 |
22.15 |
Urban and Rural Population – Chhatarpur District 2011
| Area |
Population Share |
Total Population |
Male Population |
Female Population |
Sex Ratio |
| Rural |
77.36% |
1,363,960 |
726,420 |
637,540 |
878 |
| Urban |
22.64% |
398,415 |
209,701 |
188,714 |
900 |
Child Population (0–6 years) – Chhatarpur District 2011
| Description |
Total |
Male |
Female |
Child Sex Ratio |
Share of Population |
| Children (0–6) – District Overall |
270,139 |
144,948 |
125,191 |
864 girls / 1000 boys |
15.33% of district population |
Overall Literacy – Chhatarpur District 2011
| Item |
Total |
Male |
Female |
| Literate Population |
1,011,767 |
613,075 |
398,692 |
| Literacy Rate (All) |
64.90% |
75.07% |
53.09% |
Literacy Rate by Religion – Chhatarpur District 2011
| Religion |
Average Literacy Rate (%) |
Male Literacy Rate (%) |
Female Literacy Rate (%) |
| Hindu |
63.01 |
72.12 |
52.63 |
| Muslim |
74.85 |
80.92 |
68.24 |
| Jain |
94.66 |
97.31 |
91.70 |
| Christian |
84.03 |
86.32 |
81.96 |
Religion-wise Population – Chhatarpur District 2011
| Religion |
Population |
Percent |
| Hindu |
about 1,618,000 |
≈ 91.8–92.0% |
| Muslim |
about 108,000 |
≈ 6.1% |
| Jain |
about 6,000–7,000 |
≈ 0.3–0.4% |
| Christian |
about 3,500–4,000 |
≈ 0.2% |
| Others / Religion not stated |
small remainder |
< 1% |
SC / ST Population – Chhatarpur District 2011
| Category |
Population |
Percent of Total |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
about 405,000 |
23.00% |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
about 74,000 |
4.18% |
Languages Spoken – Chhatarpur District 2011
| Language (First Language) |
Share of Speakers (%) |
| Bundeli |
74.45% |
| Hindi |
24.69% |
| Others |
0.86% (combined small languages) |
Administrative Units – Tehsils / Subdistricts (District Total)
- Total number of tehsils (subdistricts) in Chhatarpur district: 11
| Tehsil / Taluk Name |
| Bada Malhera |
| Bijawar |
| Buxwaha |
| Chandla |
| Chhatarpur |
| Gaurihar |
| Ghuwara |
| Laundi |
| Mawahra (Maharajpur / Nowgong region – appears in newer admin lists) |
| Nowgaon (Nowgong) |
| Rajnagar |
Tehsil-wise Area and Population – Government Tehsil Table
| S. No. |
Tehsil |
Area (sq.km) |
Population 2011 |
| 1 |
Bada Malhera |
623 |
110,935 |
| 2 |
Bijawar |
1,593 |
173,380 |
| 3 |
Buxwaha |
903 |
90,277 |
| 4 |
Chandla |
386 |
100,601 |
| 5 |
Chhatarpur |
583 |
359,338 |
| 6 |
Gaurihar |
1,132 |
123,554 |
| 7 |
Ghuwara |
628 |
137,558 |
| 8 |
Laundi |
871 |
160,633 |
| 9 |
Nowgaon |
804 |
173,318 |
| 10 |
Rajnagar |
474 |
105,781 |
| 11 |
Maharajpur / related new tehsil |
690 |
127,600 |
Chhatarpur Tehsil – Key Census 2011 Data
| Item |
Total |
Urban |
Rural |
| Population (Chhatarpur Tehsil) |
359,338 |
195,178 |
164,160 |
| Children (0–6 years) |
55,267 |
28,713 |
26,554 |
| Scheduled Caste Population |
92,699 |
45,019 |
47,680 |
| Scheduled Tribe Population |
6,374 |
1,997 |
4,377 |
| Sex Ratio |
891 |
889 |
893 |
Chhatarpur City – Census 2011 Snapshot
| Item |
Chhatarpur City (Municipality + Outgrowth) |
| Total Population |
142,128 |
| Male Population |
75,070 |
| Female Population |
67,058 |
| Households (Families) |
26,793 |
Basic Socio-economic and Geographic Notes
- Chhatarpur district lies in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, in the Bundelkhand region.
- The district is known for religious and tourist sites like Khajuraho temples (in the district), and has a mixed economy based on agriculture, services and tourism.
- Major crops include wheat, gram, oilseeds and pulses; rainfall is moderate to low, and droughts have historically affected the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is Chhatarpur district population in 2011?
A: 1,762,375 (about 17.62 lakh).
- Q: What is the projected population in 2025?
A: Around 2,140,000 (about 21.48 lakh).
- Q: What is the sex ratio of the district?
A: About 883–884 females per 1000 males.
- Q: How much of the population is rural vs urban?
A: About 77.4% rural and 22.6% urban.
- Q: What is the literacy rate in Chhatarpur?
A: Overall literacy is 64.9%; male literacy about 75%, female literacy about 53%.
- Q: Which religion is most common?
A: Hinduism, with more than 90% of the population, followed by Muslims and small Jain and Christian communities.
- Q: How large are the SC and ST populations?
A: Scheduled Castes form about 23% and Scheduled Tribes about 4.2% of the population.
- Q: Which languages are mainly spoken?
A: Bundeli (about 74.5%) and Hindi (about 24.7%).
- Q: How many tehsils are in the district?
A: There are 11 tehsils, including Bada Malhera, Bijawar, Buxwaha, Chandla, Chhatarpur, Gaurihar, Ghuwara, Laundi, Nowgaon, Rajnagar and a newer Maharajpur-related tehsil.
- Q: What is the population of Chhatarpur city?
A: 142,128 people as per the 2011 census.