Shajapur located on the Malwa Plateau in the western part of Madhya Pradesh, is a district of about 6154 sq km area with its headquarters in the town of Shajapur. According to the 2011 Census, the district's population was about 1.51 million, which was a considerable increase of 17.2% from the 2001 population that was around 1.29 million
Quick Overview of Shajapur District Census 2021
- District Name: Shajapur
- State: Madhya Pradesh
- Region: Malwa Plateau, western Madhya Pradesh
- District Headquarters: Shajapur town
- Geographical Area: about 6,154 sq.km
- Total Population 2011 (pre‑Agar split): 1,512,681 (15.13 lakh)
- Male Population 2011: 780,520
- Female Population 2011: 732,161
- Total Population 2001: 1,290,685 (12.91 lakh)
- Population Growth 2001–2011: about 17.2%
- Population Density 2011: around 244–251 persons per sq.km (tables differ slightly)
- Overall Sex Ratio 2011: 938 females per 1000 males (district‐wide)
- Urbanisation 2011: 19.41% urban; 80.59% rural
- Overall Literacy Rate 2011: 69.09%
- Male Literacy Rate 2011: about 79.7%
- Female Literacy Rate 2011: about 52.2–53.0%
- Total Literates 2011: 894,612 (543,509 males; 351,103 females)
- Child Population (0–6) 2011: 217,759 (child sex ratio 920)
- Main Languages: Hindi (local Malvi variety is widespread)
Shajapur Population 2011 vs 2001
| Description |
2011 |
2001 |
| Actual Population |
1,512,681 |
1,290,685 |
| Male Population |
780,520 |
669,852 |
| Female Population |
732,161 |
620,833 |
| Population (in Lakhs) |
15.13 |
12.91 |
| Decadal Growth Rate |
about 17.2% |
about 24–25% |
| Area (sq.km) |
≈ 6,154 |
≈ 6,154 |
| Population Density (per sq.km) |
≈ 244–251 |
≈ 210 |
| Sex Ratio (females per 1000 males) |
938 |
about 927–930 |
Shajapur Population Projections 2011–2025
| Year |
Projected Population |
Population (Lakhs) |
| 2011 (actual) |
1,512,681 |
15.13 |
| 2021 |
1,730,000 |
17.34 |
| 2022 |
1,750,000 |
17.55 |
| 2023 |
1,770,000 |
17.74 |
| 2024 |
1,790,000 |
17.93 |
| 2025 |
1,810,000 |
18.10 |
Urban Rural Population & Household Data – Shajapur 2011
| Area |
Total Population |
Population Share |
Children (0–6) |
Average Literacy |
Sex Ratio |
| District Total |
1,512,681 |
100% |
217,759 |
69.09% |
938 |
| Rural Shajapur |
1,219,133 |
80.59% |
178,681 |
66.35% |
937 |
| Urban Shajapur |
293,548 |
19.41% |
39,078 |
80.26% |
941 |
| Description |
District Total |
| Approx. Households 2011 |
around 280,000–290,000 (average size about 5.2–5.4 persons) |
| Tehsils (administrative sub districts) |
9 tehsils (Shajapur, Susner, Nalkheda, Agar, Badod, Gulana, Kalapipal, Moman Badodiya, Shujalpur – later reorganisation created Agar Malwa district) |
Child Population & Sex Ratio – Shajapur 2011
| Area |
Children 0–6 |
Male (0–6) |
Female (0–6) |
Child Sex Ratio (0–6) |
| District Total |
217,759 |
113,381 |
104,378 |
920 girls / 1000 boys |
| Rural |
178,681 |
92,997 |
85,684 |
920 |
| Urban |
39,078 |
20,384 |
18,694 |
917–920 (rounded as 920) |
Literacy, Education & Illiteracy – Shajapur District 2011
| Indicator |
Total |
Rural |
Urban |
| Average Literacy Rate |
69.09% |
66.35% |
80.26% |
| Male Literacy |
about 79.7% |
79.70% |
88.72% |
| Female Literacy |
about 58–59% |
52.16% |
71.29% |
| Total Literates |
894,612 |
690,374 |
204,238 |
| Indicator |
Total |
Male |
Female |
| Literate Population |
894,612 |
543,509 |
351,103 |
| Illiterate Population |
618,069 |
237,011 |
381,058 |
SC & ST Population – Shajapur District 2011
| Category |
District Share |
Rural Share |
Urban Share |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
23.4% of population |
25.6% |
14.1% |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
2.5% of population |
2.8% |
1.2% |
Religion-wise Population – Shajapur District 2011
| Religion |
Percent of Total Population |
Approximate Population |
| Hindu |
87.33% |
about 1,320,000 |
| Muslim |
11.55% |
about 175,000 |
| Jain, Christian, Sikh, Others & Not Stated |
about 1.1% |
around 17,000 |
Languages Spoken – Shajapur District 2011
| Language / Mother Tongue |
Key Notes |
| Hindi |
Most spoken language, often in Malvi dialect form; used in administration and education. |
| Malvi |
Widely spoken local variety of Rajasthani–Hindi continuum across rural areas. |
| Others |
Small shares of Urdu and other regional tongues. |
Shajapur District Urban Profile & Towns
- Urban population is concentrated in towns like Shajapur, Shujalpur, Agar, Nalkheda and Susner (some now in Agar Malwa after district split).
- Urban areas have higher literacy, more non‑farm employment, and denser settlement patterns than rural villages.
Tehsils & Sub Districts – Shajapur Administration
- As per 2011 setup, Shajapur district had 9 tehsils (administrative sub districts).
- Tehsils correspond to rural development blocks and local revenue administrative units.
| # |
Tehsil / Taluka Name (2011 layout) |
| 1 | Shajapur |
| 2 | Shujalpur |
| 3 | Kalapipal |
| 4 | Moman Badodiya |
| 5 | Agar |
| 6 | Susner |
| 7 | Nalkheda |
| 8 | Badod |
| 9 | Gulana |
Shajapur District Figures by Area Type
| Indicator |
Total |
Rural |
Urban |
| Population |
1,512,681 |
1,219,133 |
293,548 |
| Children (0–6 years) |
217,759 |
178,681 |
39,078 |
| Average Literacy Rate |
69.09% |
66.35% |
80.26% |
| Sex Ratio |
938 |
937 |
941 |
| SC Share of Population |
23.4% |
25.6% |
14.1% |
| ST Share of Population |
2.5% |
2.8% |
1.2% |
Shajapur Town (Municipality) Census 2011
| Item |
Shajapur Municipal Town |
| Total Population |
69,263 |
| Male Population |
35,868 (approx.) |
| Female Population |
33,395 (approx.) |
| Sex Ratio |
931 females / 1000 males |
| Children (0–6 years) |
7,790 (approx.) |
| Average Literacy |
85.47% (male literacy higher than female) |
Post‑Split Shajapur District (after creation of Agar Malwa)
| Indicator (residual Shajapur) |
Value (2011) |
| Total Population |
941,403 |
| Male Population |
487,468 |
| Female Population |
453,935 |
| Total Child Population (0–6) |
134,557 |
Frequently Asked Questions – Shajapur District Census
- Q: What is the population of Shajapur district as per Census 2011?
A: The 2011 population of Shajapur district (before Agar Malwa split) is 1,512,681, i.e., about 15.13 lakh.
- Q: What is the projected population of Shajapur district in 2025?
A: Projections suggest the population in 2025 is around 1.81 million (about 18.1 lakh).
- Q: What is the sex ratio in Shajapur district?
A: The sex ratio is 938 females per 1000 males overall, 937 in rural areas and 941 in urban areas.
- Q: What is the literacy rate of Shajapur district?
A: The overall literacy rate is 69.09%; rural literacy is 66.35% and urban literacy is 80.26%.
- Q: How large are the SC and ST populations?
A: Scheduled Castes form about 23.4% of the population, while Scheduled Tribes form about 2.5%.
- Q: Which religion is most common in Shajapur district?
A: Hinduism is followed by about 87.3% of the population; Muslims form about 11.6%.
- Q: Which languages are mainly spoken in Shajapur?
A: Hindi, especially in the local Malvi dialect, is the dominant language.
- Q: How many tehsils does Shajapur district have?
A: At the time of Census 2011, Shajapur district was divided into 9 tehsils.
- Q: What is the population of Shajapur town?
A: Shajapur municipal town has a population of 69,263 in 2011, with a literacy rate of 85.47%.
- Q: What is Shajapur district mainly known for economically?
A: It is known for agriculture on the Malwa plateau, with market‑oriented farming and trade in its tehsil towns.