The Satara district of Maharashtra had a population of about 30.04 lakh in 2011 and it is expected to grow steadily to reach a population of nearly 32.4 lakh by 2026. It has an area of 10,480 sq km and population density of 287 persons per sq km. The sex ratio is close to 988 females per 1000 males and the literacy rate is around 82.87 percent. The child sex ratio is about 895 girls per 1000 boys. The major religion is Hinduism with about 89.62% share and Marathi is the main language spoken by most people. The district population is mainly rural at about 81.01% and around 18.99% people live in urban areas, and Satara accounts for about 2.67% of the total population of Maharashtra. There are nearly 6 lakh households in the district.
Quick Overview of District Census 2021
Satara district basic census profile
| Item | Value |
| District name | Satara |
| State | Maharashtra |
| Area (sq km) | 10,480 |
| Population 2011 (actual) | 3,003,741 |
| Population 2011 (in lakh) | 30.04 |
| Male population 2011 | 1,510,842 |
| Female population 2011 | 1,492,899 |
| Population share in Maharashtra | 2.67% |
| Population density (persons per sq km) | 287 |
| Sex ratio (females per 1000 males) | 988 |
| Child sex ratio (0-6 years) | 895 |
| Average literacy rate | 82.87% |
| Male literacy rate | 89.42% |
| Female literacy rate | 76.31% |
| Rural population share | 81.01% |
| Urban population share | 18.99% |
| Rural population | 2,433,363 |
| Urban population | 570,378 |
- District size is moderate
- Population density is not very high
- Most people live in rural belt
- Literacy level is better than national average
Population and Historic Census Data
Satara population in 2001 and 2011
| Description | 2011 | 2001 |
| Population (in lakh) | 30.04 | 28.09 |
| Actual population | 3,003,741 | 2,808,994 |
| Male population | 1,510,842 | 1,408,326 |
| Female population | 1,492,899 | 1,400,668 |
| Population growth rate | 6.93% | 14.59% |
| Area (sq km) | 10,480 | 10,480 |
| Population density (persons per sq km) | 287 | 268 |
| Proportion to Maharashtra population | 2.67% | 2.90% |
| Sex ratio (females per 1000 males) | 988 | 995 |
| Child sex ratio (0-6 years) | 895 | 878 |
| Average literacy rate | 82.87% | 78.22% |
| Male literacy rate | 89.42% | 88.20% |
| Female literacy rate | 76.31% | 68.38% |
| Total child population (0-6 years) | 317,885 | 368,531 |
| Child population share (0-6 years) | 10.58% | 13.12% |
- Population increased slowly between 2001 and 2011
- Growth rate reduced compared to earlier decade
- Sex ratio is close to equal but slightly lower than before
- Child share in total population has gone down
Satara projected population up to 2031
| Year | Projected population |
| 2011 | 3,003,741 |
| 2021 | 3,180,000 |
| 2022 | 3,190,000 |
| 2023 | 3,210,000 |
| 2024 | 3,220,000 |
| 2025 | 3,230,000 |
| 2026 | 3,240,000 |
| 2027 | 3,250,000 |
| 2028 | 3,250,000 |
| 2029 | 3,250,000 |
| 2030 | 3,260,000 |
| 2031 | 3,260,000 |
- Population is expected to grow slowly
- District remains medium sized in the state
- Urbanisation will increase gradually
- Rural base will still stay strong
Sex Ratio and Child Population
Overall sex ratio and change over time
| Indicator | Value |
| Sex ratio 2011 (females per 1000 males) | 988 |
| Sex ratio 2001 (females per 1000 males) | 995 |
| Rural sex ratio 2011 | 995 |
| Urban sex ratio 2011 | 951 |
| Child sex ratio 2011 (0-6 years) | 895 |
| Child sex ratio 2001 (0-6 years) | 878 |
- Sex ratio is better in villages than in towns
- Overall sex ratio is close to equality
- Child sex ratio has improved since 2001
- Urban areas show lower female share
Child population and age group structure
| Child indicator | 2011 value |
| Total child population (0-6 years) | 317,885 |
| Child population share in total | 10.58% |
| Child sex ratio (girls per 1000 boys) | 895 |
- Every tenth person is in 0 to 6 age group
- Child share is slowly reducing
- Focus on girl child is still needed
- Young population gives work force support
Literacy Rate, Male Literacy and Female Literacy
Overall literacy and gender wise literacy in Satara
| Indicator | Rate (%) |
| Average literacy rate (total) | 82.87 |
| Male literacy rate | 89.42 |
| Female literacy rate | 76.31 |
- Literacy rate is higher than national figure
- Male literacy is near 90 percent
- Female literacy has improved sharply
- Gap between male and female literacy is reducing
Urban and rural literacy in Satara district
| Area | Average literacy (%) |
| Total population | 82.87 |
| Urban area | 89.02 |
| Rural area | 81.42 |
- Urban literacy is quite high
- Rural literacy is also fairly good
- Urban areas have better access to schools
- Rural education programmes support literacy
Male and female literacy in rural and urban areas
| Area | Male literacy (%) |
| Total population | 89.42 |
| Urban area | 92.51 |
| Rural area | 88.68 |
| Area | Female literacy (%) |
| Total population | 76.31 |
| Urban area | 85.42 |
| Rural area | 74.21 |
- Rural male literacy is close to urban level
- Urban female literacy is much higher
- Female literacy gap is more in villages
- Literacy drives are important for women
Religion and Caste (SC/ST) Demographics
Religion wise population in Satara district
| Religion | Population |
| Hindu | 2,691,952 |
| Muslim | 146,970 |
| Buddhist | 141,315 |
| Jain | 12,810 |
| Christian | 4,408 |
| Sikh | 1,182 |
| Other religions and persuasions | 676 |
| Religion not stated | 4,428 |
| Religion | Percentage share (%) |
| Hindu | 89.62 |
| Muslim | 4.89 |
| Buddhist | 4.70 |
| Jain | 0.43 |
| Christian | 0.15 |
| Sikh | 0.04 |
| Other religions | 0.02 |
| Religion not stated | 0.15 |
- Hindu community forms a clear majority
- Muslim and Buddhist populations are present in fair numbers
- Other faiths have small but steady presence
- Religion mix adds to local culture
Literacy rate by religion in Satara district
| Religion | Average literacy rate (%) |
| Hindu | 82.67 |
| Muslim | 86.78 |
| Buddhist | 81.22 |
| Jain | 95.48 |
| Religion | Male literacy (%) |
| Hindu | 89.34 |
| Muslim | 90.66 |
| Buddhist | 88.95 |
| Jain | 96.37 |
| Religion | Female literacy (%) |
| Hindu | 75.99 |
| Muslim | 82.83 |
| Buddhist | 73.75 |
| Jain | 94.53 |
- All major religions have good literacy levels
- Jain community shows very high literacy
- Female literacy is strong among most groups
- Education is widely valued across communities
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population
| Group | Position in district |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) | present in all talukas |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) | smaller share, mainly in some rural pockets |
- SC population is spread across villages and towns
- ST population is limited but important
- Many welfare schemes support these groups
- Social mix influences local development plans
Languages Spoken, Population Density and Households
Languages spoken in Satara district
| Language | General status |
| Marathi | main spoken language |
| Hindi | used for trade and travel |
| Urdu | spoken in some pockets |
| Other Indian languages | spoken by migrants and workers |
- Marathi dominates everyday talk
- People understand Hindi widely
- Local dialects add colour to speech
- Multi language use helps in business
Area statistics, population density and households
| Indicator | Value |
| Total area (sq km) | 10,480 |
| Population density (persons per sq km) | 287 |
| Estimated number of households | around 600,000 |
- District has a mix of plains and hills
- Density is moderate for the state
- Household size is typical rural Maharashtra
- Settlements are spread across the region
Urban and Rural Population, Households and Workforce
Urban and rural population distribution in Satara
| Description | Rural | Urban |
| Population share (%) | 81.01 | 18.99 |
| Total population | 2,433,363 | 570,378 |
| Male population | 1,219,749 | 291,093 |
| Female population | 1,213,614 | 279,285 |
| Sex ratio (females per 1000 males) | 995 | 951 |
| Child percentage (0-6 years) | 10.63% | 10.40% |
| Literates | 1,770,750 | 454,944 |
| Male literates | 960,799 | 240,235 |
| Female literates | 809,951 | 214,709 |
| Average literacy (%) | 81.42 | 89.02 |
| Male literacy (%) | 88.68 | 92.51 |
| Female literacy (%) | 74.21 | 85.42 |
- Most people live in villages and small settlements
- Urban share is less than one fifth
- Rural sex ratio is better than urban
- Urban literacy levels are higher
Workforce and main occupation pattern
| Aspect | Position in district |
| Main work | agriculture and allied activities |
| Other work | services, trade, small industry |
| Rural workers | mostly farmers and labourers |
| Urban workers | service sector and business |
- Farming remains key source of income
- Many families depend on seasonal farm work
- Urban centres provide jobs in shops and offices
- Youth also move to other cities for work
Administrative Divisions, Talukas, Towns and Villages
Administrative structure of Satara district
| Administrative unit | Detail |
| District | Satara |
| State | Maharashtra |
| Headquarters | Satara town |
- District is part of western Maharashtra belt
- Headquarter town connects many talukas
- Road network links villages to taluka places
- Local bodies manage civic services
Talukas in Satara district
| Sl no. | Taluka name |
| 1 | Karad |
| 2 | Koregaon |
| 3 | Man |
| 4 | Satara |
| 5 | Wai |
| 6 | Khandala |
| 7 | Phaltan |
| 8 | Patan |
| 9 | Jawali |
| 10 | Mahabaleshwar |
- Each taluka has its own small towns and markets
- Hilly talukas have lower density
- Plain talukas have more farming land
- Taluka headquarters serve nearby villages
City and town list related to Satara district census
| Town / city | General role |
| Satara | district headquarters and main town |
- Satara town is the key urban centre
- Town offers higher education and health services
- Nearby villages depend on town markets
- Roads from town reach all talukas
Satara town population and projection (for reference to district urban trend)
| Year | Satara city population (approx) |
| 2011 | 120,195 |
| 2021 | 156,000 |
| 2025 | 173,000 |
| 2026 | 178,000 |
| 2031 | 191,000 |
- Satara city population is growing faster than district average
- Urbanisation will add more pressure on town services
- City attracts people from nearby rural areas
- Town growth supports jobs in trade and services
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the population of Satara district in 2011: It is 3,003,741 people
- How much of Satara district population is rural: Around four fifth of people live in villages
- What is the literacy rate in Satara district: It is about 83 percent overall
- What is the sex ratio in Satara district: There are about 988 females per 1000 males
- Which religion has the largest share in Satara: Hindu community has close to 90 percent share