The Chennai district of Tamil Nadu had a population of about 46.47 lakh in 2011 and it is expected to grow steadily to reach a population of around 50.08 lakh by 2036. It has an area of 175 square km and population density of about 26,553 persons per sq km. The sex ratio is close to 990 females per 1000 males and the literacy rate is around 90.18 percent. The child sex ratio is about 951 girls per 1000 boys. The major religion is Hindu with about 80.73 percent and Tamil is the main language spoken by most people. The district population is 100 percent urban and 0 percent rural, and higher‑education‑related groups account for a large share of the total population. There are a total of about 11.55 lakh households in the district.
Quick Overview of District Census 2021
| Parameter |
Value 2011 |
Value 2026 (estimate) |
| Total population |
46,46,732 |
49,78,509 |
| Male population |
23,35,844 |
24,90,000 |
| Female population |
23,10,888 |
24,88,000 |
| Sex ratio (females per 1000 males) |
990 |
around 990 (stable) |
| Child sex ratio (0–6 girls per 1000 boys) |
951 |
no official 2026 data |
| Average literacy rate |
90.18% |
projected 90–91% |
| Area (sq km) |
175 |
175 (same) |
| Population density (per sq km) |
26,553 |
about 28,400 |
| Urban population share |
100% |
100% |
Population and growth history
| Census year |
Total population |
Variation % vs previous |
| 1901 |
5,70,851 |
– |
| 1911 |
5,93,133 |
3.90 |
| 1921 |
6,10,974 |
3.04 |
| 1931 |
7,56,900 |
23.87 |
| 1941 |
9,09,500 |
20.26 |
| 1951 |
14,54,900 |
59.80 |
| 1961 |
17,75,800 |
22.09 |
| 1971 |
25,78,700 |
45.20 |
| 1981 |
32,76,900 |
27.04 |
| 1991 |
38,40,900 |
17.24 |
| 2001 |
43,43,645 |
13.07 |
| 2011 |
46,46,732 |
6.98 |
- Population increased more than 8 times from 1901 to 2011
- Fastest growth was recorded in 1951 with 59.8 percent rise
- Since 2001 growth has slowed to around 7 percent per decade
- Chennai now has one of the highest population densities in India
Population projections to 2036
| Year |
Estimated population |
Total growth since 2011 |
| 2025 |
49,68,374 |
6.92% |
| 2026 |
49,78,509 |
7.14% |
| 2027 |
49,85,373 |
7.29% |
| 2028 |
49,92,237 |
7.44% |
| 2029 |
49,99,101 |
7.58% |
| 2030 |
50,05,965 |
7.73% |
| 2031 |
50,08,723 |
7.79% |
| 2032 |
50,08,531 |
7.79% |
| 2033 |
50,08,338 |
7.78% |
| 2034 |
50,08,146 |
7.78% |
| 2035 |
50,07,953 |
7.77% |
| 2036 |
50,07,761 |
7.77% |
- Growth is expected to slow down after 2030
- Annual increase will be around 0.06–0.2 percent in coming years
- Population will stay near 50 lakh level by 2036
- Male share will remain slightly below 50 percent
Sex ratio and child statistics
| Indicator |
2011 value |
2001 value |
| Sex ratio (per 1000 males) |
990 |
957 |
| Child sex ratio (0–6 girls per 1000 boys) |
951 |
972 |
| Total child population (0–6 age) |
4,59,324 |
4,33,340 |
| Child share of total population |
9.88% |
9.98% |
- Sex ratio has improved over the last two decades
- Child sex ratio is still below parity but higher than all‑India
- Child population rose by about 26,000 between 2001 and 2011
- Urban‑only pattern means these ratios cover only city life
Literacy and education profile
| Category |
Average literacy (%) |
Male literacy (%) |
Female literacy (%) |
| Total population |
90.18 |
93.70 |
86.64 |
| Urban areas |
90.18 |
93.70 |
86.64 |
| Rural areas |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
- Literacy level is much higher than national average
- Male literacy is above 93 percent in the city
- Female literacy crosses 86 percent which is strong in urban context
- There is no rural literacy data because all population is urban
Religion and caste composition
| Religion |
Population |
Percent share |
| Hindu |
37,51,322 |
80.73% |
| Muslim |
4,39,270 |
9.45% |
| Christian |
3,58,662 |
7.72% |
| Jain |
51,708 |
1.11% |
| Sikh |
2,851 |
0.06% |
| Buddhist |
2,804 |
0.06% |
| Other religions and persuasions |
1,759 |
0.04% |
| Religion not stated |
38,356 |
0.83% |
| Caste group |
Population |
Percent of total |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
7,79,667 |
16.78% |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
10,061 |
0.22% |
- Hindu community forms the clear majority in Chennai
- Muslim and Christian groups together make about 17 percent
- SCs form more than one‑sixth of the district population
- ST share is small, under 0.3 percent
Urban rural and household data
| Area type |
Population share (%) |
Total population |
| Urban |
100.00 |
46,46,732 |
| Rural |
0.00 |
0 |
| Parameter |
Value |
Comment |
| Total households |
11,54,982 |
around 11.55 lakh |
| Average household size |
about 4 |
4.02 persons per household |
| Total area (sq km) |
175 |
city‑district combined |
| Population density (per sq km) |
26,553 |
2011 data |
- Chennai is fully urban with no rural villages
- Most households live in compact city and nearby built‑up areas
- Density is one of the highest among Indian districts
- Each home on average has just over four family members
Workforce and economic profile
| Indicator |
Number |
Percent of working age |
| Total workers |
18,14,222 |
about 39.0% of total population |
| Marginal workers |
1,04,622 |
about 2.25% |
| Non‑workers |
27,27,888 |
about 58.7% |
- Just over one‑third of people are counted as main workers
- Another small share are marginal workers with irregular jobs
- Most residents are either students, children, or outside labour force
- Services and industry dominate jobs in this city district
City towns and subdivisions
Cities and towns
- Chennai city is the main urban centre
- Whole district is treated as urban area only
- No separate rural towns are listed for this district
- Urban spread includes core city plus nearby municipal areas
Taluks and sub‑districts
- Chennai district has 10 taluks or sub‑districts
- Examples include Chennai North, Chennai Central, Chennai South
- Each taluk has its own urban blocks and wards
- These blocks are used for local planning and service delivery
Villages and urban blocks
- Total 60 villages and towns are listed at higher level
- Each taluk has several urban blocks and local wards
- Place‑wise names include Tiruvottiyur, Park Town, Tondiarpet and others
- These names help identify local areas for health, education and civic work
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: What is Chennai district population in 2011
- Question: How high is Chennai population density in persons per sq km
- Question: What is Chennai sex ratio per 1000 males
- Question: What is average literacy rate in Chennai city
- Question: What share of Chennai is urban and rural