The Erode district of Tamil Nadu had a population of about 22.52 lakh in 2011 and projections suggest it may reach around 25.5 lakh by 2026. It covers roughly 5,760 sq km of land and has a population density close to 391 persons per sq km. The sex ratio stands near 993 females for every 1,000 males and the overall literacy rate is about 72.58 percent. The child sex ratio in the 0–6 age group is around 953 girls for every 1,000 boys and children form nearly 8.67 percent of the total population. Hinduism is followed by almost 94 percent of people, with small shares of Muslims and Christians, and Kongu Tamil (a dialect of Tamil) is widely spoken along with some Telugu and Kannada in border belts. Just over half of the population lives in urban areas while the rest stays in rural villages, with Erode town acting as the main commercial and administrative hub. There are about 6.58 lakh households in Erode district as per the 2011 census data.
Quick Overview of District Census 2011
| Item |
Figure |
| District Name |
Erode |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Census Year |
2011 |
| Actual Population |
2,251,744 |
| Male Population |
1,129,868 |
| Female Population |
1,121,876 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
993 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
953 |
| Total Area (sq km) |
5,760 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
391 |
| Average Literacy Rate |
72.58 % |
| Male Literacy Rate |
80.42 % |
| Female Literacy Rate |
64.71 % |
| Urban Population Share |
51.43 % |
| Rural Population Share |
48.57 % |
| Total Households |
658,071 |
Historic Census Data and Population Projections
Population from 1901 to 2011
| Census Year |
Population |
| 1901 |
629,892 |
| 1911 |
667,968 |
| 1921 |
725,434 |
| 1931 |
769,455 |
| 1941 |
886,108 |
| 1951 |
1,010,616 |
| 1961 |
1,106,528 |
| 1971 |
1,356,092 |
| 1981 |
1,587,604 |
| 1991 |
1,802,939 |
| 2001 |
2,016,582 |
| 2011 |
2,251,744 |
Key Census Indicators 2001 and 2011
| Indicator |
2001 |
2011 |
| Actual Population |
2,016,582 |
2,251,744 |
| Population (in lakh) |
20.17 |
22.52 |
| Population Growth (%) |
11.85 |
11.66 |
| Area (sq km) |
5,692 |
5,760 |
| Density (persons per sq km) |
354 |
391 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
968 |
993 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
939 |
953 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
65.44 |
72.58 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
75.04 |
80.42 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
55.56 |
64.71 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
200,853 |
195,213 |
| Child Share in Population (%) |
9.96 |
8.67 |
Population Projections up to 2031
| Year |
Projected Population |
| 2011 |
2,251,744 |
| 2021 |
2,470,000 |
| 2024 |
2,520,000 |
| 2025 |
2,540,000 |
| 2026 |
2,550,000 |
| 2028 |
2,570,000 |
| 2030 |
2,580,000 |
| 2031 |
2,580,000 |
Population, Child Population and Sex Ratio
Basic Population Structure 2011
| Category |
Male |
Female |
| Total Population |
1,129,868 |
1,121,876 |
| Child Population 0–6 years |
99,943 |
95,270 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
195,213 |
| Child Share in Total Population (%) |
8.67 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
993 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
953 |
Urban and Rural Child Data 2011
| Area Type |
Child Population 0–6 |
Child Sex Ratio |
| Urban |
102,959 |
959 |
| Rural |
92,254 |
947 |
Literacy Rate, Male Literacy and Female Literacy
Overall and Gender Wise Literacy
| Indicator |
Rate (%) |
| Average Literacy |
72.58 |
| Male Literacy |
80.42 |
| Female Literacy |
64.71 |
Urban and Rural Literacy Pattern
| Area Type |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Total |
72.58 |
80.42 |
64.71 |
| Urban |
79.39 |
86.17 |
72.68 |
| Rural |
65.41 |
74.45 |
56.21 |
Literacy by Religion
| Religion |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Hindu |
71.61 |
79.70 |
63.49 |
| Muslim |
87.69 |
92.17 |
83.30 |
| Christian |
89.01 |
92.69 |
85.52 |
| Religion not stated |
73.03 |
83.49 |
63.27 |
Religion and Caste (SC / ST)
Religion Wise Population 2011
| Religion |
Population |
Percentage |
| Hindu |
2,115,455 |
93.95 % |
| Muslim |
76,098 |
3.38 % |
| Christian |
55,899 |
2.48 % |
| Sikh |
435 |
0.02 % |
| Buddhist |
148 |
0.01 % |
| Jain |
639 |
0.03 % |
| Other religions |
157 |
0.01 % |
| Religion not stated |
2,913 |
0.13 % |
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Population
| Group |
Population |
Share in District (%) |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
369,483 |
16.41 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
21,880 |
0.97 |
SC and ST Population by Gender
| Group |
Male Population |
Female Population |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
184,408 |
185,075 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
11,024 |
10,856 |
Urban and Rural Population, Density and Households
Urban Rural Split 2011
| Area Type |
Population |
Share of Total (%) |
| Urban |
1,157,976 |
51.43 |
| Rural |
1,093,768 |
48.57 |
Urban and Rural Detailed Profile
| Description |
Rural |
Urban |
| Total Population |
1,093,768 |
1,157,976 |
| Male Population |
552,393 |
577,475 |
| Female Population |
541,375 |
580,501 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
981 |
1,006 |
| Child Population 0–6 |
92,254 |
102,959 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
947 |
959 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
65.41 |
79.39 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
74.45 |
86.17 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
56.21 |
72.68 |
Area, Density and Households
| Item |
Figure |
| Total Area (sq km) |
5,760 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
391 |
| Total Households |
658,071 |
| Total Towns |
59 |
| Total Villages |
306 |
Workforce and Economic Profile
Workers by Category (District)
| Work Category |
Number of Workers |
| Total Workers |
1,195,773 |
| Cultivators (main and marginal) |
178,170 (173,376 main + 4,794 marginal) |
| Agricultural Labourers (main and marginal) |
370,212 (331,414 main + 38,798 marginal) |
| Household Industry Workers (main and marginal) |
54,322 (48,960 main + 5,362 marginal) |
| Other Main Workers |
557,301 |
| Other Marginal Workers |
35,768 |
Worker Profile Overview
| Category |
Observation |
| Male Workers |
about 7.32 lakh; dominant share in most sectors |
| Female Workers |
about 4.64 lakh; strong presence in farm and textile work |
| Rural Workers |
more in agriculture, plantation and allied work |
| Urban Workers |
more in textiles, trade, services and small industries |
Administrative Divisions and Taluks
Revenue Divisions and Taluks
| Revenue Division |
Taluks |
| Erode |
Erode, Kodumudi, Modakurichi, Perundurai |
| Gobichettipalayam |
Anthiyur, Bhavani, Gobichettipalayam, Sathyamangalam, Nambiyur, Thalavadi |
Key Administrative Units
| Administrative Item |
Details |
| District Headquarters |
Erode |
| Municipal Corporation |
1 (Erode) |
| Other Municipalities |
Gobichettipalayam, Sathyamangalam, Bhavani, Punjai Puliampatti |
| Town Panchayats |
about 39 |
Cities, Towns and Urban Centres
Main Urban Centres 2011
| Urban Centre |
Population 2011 |
| Erode Urban Agglomeration |
521,891 |
| Erode Municipal Corporation (city) |
157,101 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the total population of Erode district? It is 22.52 lakh as per 2011 census.
- What share of Erode population lives in towns and cities? Around 51.43 percent people live in urban areas.
- What is the literacy rate in Erode district? The literacy rate is about 72.58 percent.
- What are the SC and ST shares in Erode? SC share is 16.41 percent and ST share is 0.97 percent.
- What is the population density of Erode district? It is about 391 persons per square kilometre.