The Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu had a population of about 21.60 lakh in 2011 and present estimates push it towards nearly 23.1 lakh by 2026. It spreads over around 6,036 sq km of area and holds a population density of about 358 persons per sq km. The overall sex ratio stands at 998–999 females for every 1,000 males and the general literacy rate is about 76.26 percent. The child sex ratio in the 0–6 age group is close to 934–935 girls for every 1,000 boys and children form just about 10 percent of the population. Hindu religion is followed by a clear majority, with smaller shares of Christians and Muslims, and Tamil is the main language used in almost all parts along with a minor Telugu and Kannada speaking population. Roughly 62.6 percent of people live in rural areas while about 37.4 percent live in towns, with Dindigul and Palani acting as key urban nodes. There are nearly 5.61 lakh households in the district as per the 2011 census figures.
Quick Overview of District Census 2011
| Item |
Figure |
| District Name |
Dindigul |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Census Year |
2011 |
| Total Population |
2,159,775 |
| Male Population |
1,080,938 |
| Female Population |
1,078,837 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
998–999 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
934–935 |
| Total Area (sq km) |
6,036 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
358 |
| Average Literacy Rate |
76.26 % |
| Male Literacy Rate |
84.23 % |
| Female Literacy Rate |
68.33 % |
| Urban Population Share |
37.41 % |
| Rural Population Share |
62.59 % |
| Total Households |
560,773 |
Historic Census Data and Population Projections
Population from 1901 to 2011
| Census Year |
Population |
| 1901 |
714,098 |
| 1911 |
780,440 |
| 1921 |
813,581 |
| 1931 |
859,809 |
| 1941 |
974,794 |
| 1951 |
1,083,964 |
| 1961 |
1,178,363 |
| 1971 |
1,398,023 |
| 1981 |
1,564,448 |
| 1991 |
1,760,601 |
| 2001 |
1,923,014 |
| 2011 |
2,159,775 |
Key Census Indicators 2001 and 2011
| Indicator |
2001 |
2011 |
| Actual Population |
1,923,014 |
2,159,775 |
| Population (in lakh) |
19.23 |
21.60 |
| Population Growth (%) |
9.22 |
12.31 |
| Area (sq km) |
6,058 |
6,036 |
| Density (persons per sq km) |
317 |
358 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
986 |
998–999 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
930 |
934–935 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
69.35 |
76.26 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
79.76 |
84.23 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
58.87 |
68.33 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
218,918 |
216,576 |
| Child Share in Population (%) |
11.38 |
10.03 |
Population Projections up to 2031
| Year |
Projected Population |
| 2011 |
2,159,775 |
| 2021 |
2,380,000 |
| 2024 |
2,440,000 |
| 2025 |
2,450,000 |
| 2026 |
2,460,000 |
| 2028 |
2,480,000 |
| 2030 |
2,490,000 |
| 2031 (alt. model) |
about 23.28 lakh (23,28,027) |
Population, Child Population and Sex Ratio
Basic Population Structure 2011
| Category |
Male |
Female |
| Total Population |
1,080,938 |
1,078,837 |
| Child Population 0–6 years |
111,955 |
104,621 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
216,576 |
| Child Share in Total Population (%) |
10.03 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
998–999 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
934–935 |
Urban and Rural Child Data 2011
| Area Type |
Child Population 0–6 |
Child Sex Ratio |
| Urban |
79,037 |
949 |
| Rural |
137,539 |
926 |
Literacy Rate, Male Literacy and Female Literacy
Overall and Gender Wise Literacy
| Indicator |
Rate (%) |
| Average Literacy |
76.26 |
| Male Literacy |
84.23 |
| Female Literacy |
68.33 |
Urban and Rural Literacy Pattern
| Area Type |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Total |
76.26 |
84.23 |
68.33 |
| Urban |
83.89 |
89.68 |
78.19 |
| Rural |
71.67 |
80.98 |
62.36 |
Literacy by Religion
| Religion |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Hindu |
74.84 |
83.27 |
66.43 |
| Christian |
84.32 |
88.86 |
79.96 |
| Muslim |
88.45 |
93.99 |
82.98 |
| Religion not stated |
82.39 |
90.82 |
73.80 |
Religion and Caste (SC / ST)
Religion Wise Population 2011
| Religion |
Population |
Percentage |
| Hindu |
1,879,494 |
87.02 % |
| Christian |
169,945 |
7.87 % |
| Muslim |
105,012 |
4.86 % |
| Religion not stated |
4,546 |
0.21 % |
| Sikh |
313 |
0.01 % |
| Buddhist |
256 |
0.01 % |
| Other religions |
138 |
0.01 % |
| Jain |
71 |
~0.00 % |
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Population
| Group |
Population |
Share in District (%) |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
452,376 |
20.95 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
8,064 |
0.37 |
SC and ST Population by Gender
| Group |
Male Population |
Female Population |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
225,573 |
226,803 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
4,095 |
3,969 |
Urban and Rural Population, Density and Households
Urban Rural Split 2011
| Area Type |
Population |
Share of Total (%) |
| Urban |
808,040 |
37.41 |
| Rural |
1,351,735 |
62.59 |
Urban and Rural Detailed Profile
| Description |
Rural |
Urban |
| Total Population |
1,351,735 |
808,040 |
| Male Population |
678,605 |
402,333 |
| Female Population |
673,130 |
405,707 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
992 |
1,008–1,009 |
| Child Population 0–6 |
137,539 |
79,037 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
926 |
949 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
71.67 |
83.89 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
80.98 |
89.68 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
62.36 |
78.19 |
Area, Density and Households
| Item |
Figure |
| Total Area (sq km) |
6,036 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
358 |
| Total Households |
560,773 |
| Total Towns |
34 |
| Total Villages |
362 |
Workforce and Economic Profile
Workers by Category (District)
| Work Category |
Number of Workers |
| Total Workers |
1,105,155 |
| Cultivators (main and marginal) |
155,332 + 10,073 = 165,405 |
| Agricultural Labourers (main and marginal) |
388,725 + 79,234 = 467,959 |
| Household Industry Workers (main and marginal) |
25,253 + 5,576 = 30,829 |
| Other Main Workers |
393,707 |
| Other Marginal Workers |
47,255 |
Worker Profile Overview
| Category |
Observation |
| Male Workers |
about 6.65 lakh, higher share in most sectors |
| Female Workers |
about 4.40 lakh, strong presence in agriculture and informal work |
| Rural Workers |
dominate in farming, plantations and allied activities |
| Urban Workers |
more in trade, manufacturing, services and tourism (Kodaikanal, Palani belt) |
Administrative Divisions and Taluks
Revenue Divisions and Taluks
| Revenue Division |
Taluks |
| Dindigul |
Athoor, Dindigul East, Dindigul West, Natham, Nilakkottai |
| Palani |
Gujiliamparai, Oddanchatram, Palani, Vedasandur |
| Kodaikanal |
Kodaikanal |
Key Administrative Units
| Administrative Item |
Details |
| District Headquarters |
Dindigul |
| Total Taluks (2011–present) |
10 |
| Municipal Corporation |
1 (Dindigul City Municipal Corporation) |
| Municipalities |
Kodaikanal, Oddanchatram, Palani |
| Town Panchayats |
23 (including Chinnalapatti, Vedasandur, Natham, Vattalagundu, etc.) |
Cities, Towns and Urban Centres
Main Urban Centres in Dindigul District
| Urban Centre |
Population 2011 |
| Dindigul Urban Agglomeration |
292,512 |
| Dindigul Municipality (city) |
207,327 |
| Palani (Municipality) |
around 70,000–80,000 (approx, 2011) |
| Kodaikanal (Municipality) |
around 36,000 (approx, 2011) |
| Oddanchatram (Municipality) |
around 75,000 (approx, 2011) |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the total population of Dindigul district? It is about 21.60 lakh as per the 2011 census.
- How much of Dindigul population lives in rural areas? Around 62.6 percent of people live in villages and rural belts.
- What is the literacy rate in Dindigul district? The overall literacy rate is close to 76.26 percent.
- What are the SC and ST shares in Dindigul? Scheduled Castes form about 20.95 percent and Scheduled Tribes about 0.37 percent of the population.
- What is the population density of Dindigul district? It is nearly 358 persons per square kilometre.