Bhandara district overview
The Bhandara district of Maharashtra had a population of about 12.00 lakh in 2011 and it is expected to grow steadily to reach a population of around 13.77 lakh by 2026. It has an area of 4,087 sq km and population density of 294 persons per sq km. The sex ratio is close to 983 females per 1000 males and the literacy rate is around 83.76. The child sex ratio is 951 girls per 1000 boys. The major religion is Hindu with about 84.09% and Marathi is the main language spoken by large share of people. The district population is about 19.48% urban and 80.52% rural, and villages account for most of the total population. There are a total of about 2.78 lakh households in the district.
Quick Overview of District Census 2021
| Indicator | Value (2011) |
| Total population 2011 | 12,00,334 |
| Male population 2011 | 6,05,520 |
| Female population 2011 | 5,94,814 |
| Sex ratio 2011 | 983 |
| Child sex ratio 0–6 | 951 |
| Average literacy 2011 | 83.76% |
| Male literacy 2011 | 90.35% |
| Female literacy 2011 | 77.08% |
| Area (sq km) | 4,087 |
| Population density (2011) | 294 per sq km |
Population and projections up to 2036
| Year | Estimated population | Growth since 2011 |
| 2011 | 12,00,334 | – |
| 2026 | 13,77,294 | 14.74% |
| 2027 | 13,86,091 | 15.48% |
| 2028 | 13,94,888 | 16.21% |
| 2029 | 14,03,674 | 16.94% |
| 2030 | 14,12,471 | 17.67% |
| 2031 | 14,20,229 | 18.32% |
| 2032 | 14,27,264 | 18.91% |
| 2033 | 14,34,300 | 19.49% |
| 2034 | 14,41,325 | 20.08% |
| 2035 | 14,48,360 | 20.66% |
| 2036 | 14,55,385 | 21.25% |
Sex ratio and child population
| Category | Value |
| Total sex ratio (females/1000 males) | 983 |
| Urban sex ratio | 982 |
| Rural sex ratio | 983 |
| Child sex ratio 0–6 (total district) | 951 |
| Urban child sex ratio 0–6 | 930 |
| Rural child sex ratio 0–6 | 955 |
| Total child population 0–6 | 1,26,025 |
| Male child 0–6 | 64,626 |
| Female child 0–6 | 61,399 |
| Child share of total population | 10.50% |
- Sex ratio in Bhandara is above national average
- Urban and rural sex ratios are almost equal
- Child population share has reduced since 2001
Literacy and education levels
| Category | Average literacy | Male literacy | Female literacy |
| Total population | 83.76% | 90.35% | 77.08% |
| Urban areas | 90.74% | 94.38% | 87.06% |
| Rural areas | 82.05% | 89.37% | 74.64% |
| Religion | Average literacy | Male literacy | Female literacy |
| Hindu | 83.25% | 89.88% | 76.53% |
| Buddhist | 85.74% | 92.71% | 78.76% |
| Muslim | 90.86% | 94.02% | 87.56% |
| Other religions and persuasions | 83.84% | 91.74% | 75.90% |
- Literacy in Bhandara is above national average
- Male literacy is higher than female literacy
- Urban areas are more educated than rural areas
Religion and literacy by religion
| Religion | Population | Percentage of total |
| Hindu | 10,09,352 | 84.09% |
| Buddhist | 1,54,458 | 12.87% |
| Muslim | 26,502 | 2.21% |
| Other religions and persuasions | 3,555 | 0.30% |
| Religion not stated | 2,474 | 0.21% |
| Christian | 2,145 | 0.18% |
| Jain | 1,017 | 0.08% |
| Sikh | 831 | 0.07% |
| Religion | Sex ratio |
| Hindu | 982 |
| Buddhist | 996 |
| Muslim | 960 |
| Other religions and persuasions | 987 |
Caste (SC/ST) data
| Caste group | Population | Share of total | Sex ratio |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) | 2,00,372 | 16.69% | 996 |
| SC male | 1,00,421 | – | – |
| SC female | 99,951 | – | – |
| Caste group | Population | Share of total | Sex ratio |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 88,886 | 7.41% | 997 |
| ST male | 44,515 | – | – |
| ST female | 44,371 | – | – |
- SC families form about one‑sixth of total population
- ST share is also sizeable in Bhandara
- Both SC and ST groups have sex ratios close to 1000
Urban–rural population and households
| Region | Population | Share of total |
| Urban population | 2,33,831 | 19.48% |
| Rural population | 9,66,503 | 80.52% |
| Region | Male | Female | Sex ratio |
| Urban | 1,18,036 | 1,15,795 | 982 |
| Rural | 4,87,484 | 4,79,019 | 983 |
| Indicator | Value |
| Total area (sq km) | 4,087 |
| Population density | 294 per sq km |
| Total households | 2,78,076 |
| Total towns | 12 |
| Total villages | 864 |
| Houseless families | 352 |
| Houseless population | 1,427 |
- Most people still live in rural Bhandara
- About one in five live in urban areas
- Very small number of families live without roof
Workforce and employment profile
| Indicator | Value |
| Total workers | 5,97,305 |
| Male workers | 3,45,054 |
| Female workers | 2,52,251 |
| Workers as % of total population | 49.76% |
- Nearly half of people are working in some job
- Male workers are more than female workers
- Many families depend on agriculture and small‑town work
Historic census growth 1901–2011
| Census year | Population | Variation % |
| 1901 | 2,76,306 | 0.00% |
| 1911 | 3,22,000 | 16.64% |
| 1921 | 3,37,00 |
4.42% |
| 1931 | 3,83,000 | 13.66% |
| 1941 | 4,05,000 | 5.75% |
| 1951 | 4,62,000 | 14.07% |
| 1961 | 5,89,000 | 27.55% |
| 1971 | 7,42,000 | 25.99% |
| 1981 | 9,10,000 | 22.65% |
| 1991 | 10,59,000 | 16.37% |
| 2001 | 10,90,000 | 2.93% |
| 2011 | 12,00,334 | 10.12% |
- Population has grown steadily over last hundred years
- 1961 and 1971 show very fast growth decades
- Growth slowed after 2001 but picked up from 2011
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: What is the total population of Bhandara district in 2026? Answer: About 13.77 lakh.
- Question: What is the literacy rate of Bhandara district in 2011? Answer: Around 83.76%.
- Question: What is the sex ratio in Bhandara district? Answer: About 983 females per 1000 males.
- Question: Which religion has the largest share in Bhandara district? Answer: Hindu with about 84.09%.
- Question: What is the rural–urban split in Bhandara district? Answer: About 81% rural and 19% urban.