Sindhudurg district overview
The Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra had a population of about 8.50 lakh in 2011 and it is expected to grow steadily to reach a population of around 9.75 lakh by 2026. It has an area of 5,207 sq km and population density of 163 persons per sq km. The sex ratio is close to 1036 females per 1000 males and the literacy rate is around 85.56. The child sex ratio is 922 girls per 1000 boys. The major religion is Hindu with about 91.85% and Marathi is the main language spoken by large share of people. The district population is about 12.59% urban and 87.41% rural, and villages account for most of the total population. There are a total of about 2.10 lakh households in the district.
Quick Overview of District Census 2021
| Indicator | Value (2011) |
| Total population 2011 | 8,49,651 |
| Male population 2011 | 4,17,332 |
| Female population 2011 | 4,32,319 |
| Sex ratio 2011 | 1036 |
| Child sex ratio 0–6 | 922 |
| Average literacy 2011 | 85.56% |
| Male literacy 2011 | 91.58% |
| Female literacy 2011 | 79.81% |
| Area (sq km) | 5,207 |
| Population density (2011) | 163 per sq km |
Population and projections up to 2036
| Year | Estimated population | Growth since 2011 |
| 2011 | 8,49,651 | – |
| 2026 | 9,74,911 | 14.74% |
| 2027 | 9,81,138 | 15.48% |
| 2028 | 9,87,365 | 16.21% |
| 2029 | 9,93,585 | 16.94% |
| 2030 | 9,99,812 | 17.67% |
| 2031 | 10,05,303 | 18.32% |
| 2032 | 10,10,283 | 18.91% |
| 2033 | 10,15,263 | 19.49% |
| 2034 | 10,20,235 | 20.08% |
| 2035 | 10,25,215 | 20.66% |
| 2036 | 10,30,188 | 21.25% |
Sex ratio and child population
| Category | Value |
| Total sex ratio (females/1000 males) | 1036 |
| Urban sex ratio | 980 |
| Rural sex ratio | 1045 |
| Child sex ratio 0–6 | 922 |
| Urban child sex ratio 0–6 | 897 |
| Rural child sex ratio 0–6 | 926 |
| Total child population 0–6 | 71,193 |
| Male child 0–6 | 37,034 |
| Female child 0–6 | 34,159 |
| Child share of total population | 8.38% |
- Sex ratio in Sindhudurg is above national average
- Rural sex ratio is better than urban sex ratio
- Child population share has reduced since 2001
Literacy and education levels
| Category | Average literacy | Male literacy | Female literacy |
| Total population | 85.56% | 91.58% | 79.81% |
| Urban areas | 92.07% | 94.11% | 90.00% |
| Rural areas | 84.63% | 91.21% | 78.40% |
| Religion | Average literacy | Male literacy | Female literacy |
| Hindu | 85.58% | 91.64% | 79.78% |
| Muslim | 86.13% | 90.15% | 82.11% |
| Buddhist | 82.53% | 90.24% | 75.76% |
| Christian | 88.13% | 92.97% | 83.75% |
- Literacy in Sindhudurg is clearly above national average
- Male literacy is higher than female literacy at all levels
- Urban areas are more educated than rural areas
Religion and literacy by religion
| Religion | Population | Percentage of total |
| Hindu | 7,80,384 | 91.85% |
| Muslim | 26,264 | 3.09% |
| Buddhist | 24,762 | 2.91% |
| Christian | 15,471 | 1.82% |
| Religion not stated | 1,452 | 0.17% |
| Jain | 1,046 | 0.12% |
| Sikh | 219 | 0.03% |
| Other religions and persuasions | 53 | 0.01% |
| Religion | Sex ratio |
| Hindu | 1035 |
| Muslim | 1000 |
| Buddhist | 1120 |
| Christian | 1092 |
Caste (SC/ST) data
| Caste group | Population | Share of total | Sex ratio |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) | 55,586 | 6.54% | 1072 |
| SC male | 26,830 | – | – |
| SC female | 28,756 | – | – |
| Caste group | Population | Share of total | Sex ratio |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 6,976 | 0.82% | 952 |
| ST male | 3,575 | – | – |
| ST female | 3,401 | – | – |
- SC families form a small but clear share of total population
- ST share is very small in Sindhudurg district
- SC sex ratio is above 1000 while ST sex ratio is near 950
Urban–rural population and households
| Region | Population | Share of total |
| Urban population | 1,07,006 | 12.59% |
| Rural population | 7,42,645 | 87.41% |
| Region | Male | Female | Sex ratio |
| Urban | 54,064 | 52,942 | 980 |
| Rural | 3,63,268 | 3,79,377 | 1045 |
| Indicator | Value |
| Total area (sq km) | 5,207 |
| Population density | 163 per sq km |
| Total households | 2,09,839 |
| Total towns | 8 |
| Total villages | 748 |
| Houseless families | 411 |
| Houseless population | 1,472 |
- Most people still live in rural Sindhudurg
- About one in eight live in urban areas
- Very small number of families live without roof
Workforce and employment profile
| Indicator | Value |
| Total workers | 3,47,178 |
| Male workers | 2,29,676 |
| Female workers | 1,17,502 |
| Workers as % of total population | 40.86% |
- Nearly four in ten people are working in some job
- Male workers are more than female workers
- Many families depend on fishing, farming and small‑town trade
Historic census growth 1901–2011
| Census year | Population | Variation % |
| 1901 | 5,43,058 | 0.00 |
| 1911 | 5,53,548 | 1.93 |
| 1921 | 5,30,722 | –4.0 |
| 1931 | 5,70,100 | 7.43 |
| 1941 | 5,88,000 | 3.15 |
| 1951 | 6,23,000 | 5.97 |
| 1961 | 6,72,000 | 7.86 |
| 1971 | 7,03,000 | 4.62 |
| 1981 | 7,44,000 | 5.85 |
| 1991 | 7,84,000 | 5.37 |
| 2001 | 8,07,000 | 2.93 |
| 2011 | 8,49,651 | 5.29 |
- Population has grown slowly but steadily over last hundred years
- Growth rates have been mild after 1950
- Census 2011 still shows positive growth compared to 2001
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: What is the total population of Sindhudurg district in 2026? Answer: About 9.75 lakh.
- Question: What is the literacy rate of Sindhudurg district in 2011? Answer: Around 85.56%.
- Question: What is the sex ratio in Sindhudurg district? Answer: About 1036 females per 1000 males.
- Question: Which religion has the largest share in Sindhudurg district? Answer: Hindu with about 91.85%.
- Question: What is the rural–urban split in Sindhudurg district? Answer: About 87% rural and 13% urban.