The Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu had a population of about 40 lakh in 2011 and it is expected to grow slowly to reach nearly 43 lakh by the mid 2020s. It has an area of around 4,483 sq km and a population density of about 892 persons per sq km. The sex ratio is close to 987 females per 1000 males and the overall literacy rate is near 84.5 percent. The child sex ratio stands around 959 girls per 1000 boys in the age group 0-6 years. Hindu religion has the largest share in the district and Tamil is the main language in daily use at home and in markets. Nearly two thirds of the population lives in urban parts while a little over one third stays in rural belts, with towns and villages linked by roads and bus routes. Households are spread across 10 lakh homes in both city streets and village areas.
Quick Overview of District Census 2011
| Item |
Figure |
| District Name |
Kancheepuram (Kanchipuram) |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Census Year |
2011 |
| Total Population |
3,998,252 |
| Male Population |
2,012,958 |
| Female Population |
1,985,294 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
986 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years) |
959 |
| Area (sq km) |
4,483 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
892 |
| Overall Literacy Rate |
84.49 % |
| Male Literacy Rate |
89.89 % |
| Female Literacy Rate |
79.02 % |
| Urban Population Share |
63.49 % |
| Rural Population Share |
36.51 % |
| Total Households |
1,006,245 |
Historic Census Data and Population Projections
Population from 1901 to 2011
| Census Year |
Population |
| 1901 |
708,782 |
| 1911 |
759,794 |
| 1921 |
798,408 |
| 1931 |
871,546 |
| 1941 |
956,996 |
| 1951 |
1,030,559 |
| 1961 |
1,167,491 |
| 1971 |
1,499,744 |
| 1981 |
1,898,021 |
| 1991 |
2,415,010 |
| 2001 |
2,877,468 |
| 2011 |
3,998,252 |
Decadal Growth and Key Ratios
| Indicator |
2001 |
2011 |
| Actual Population |
2,877,468 |
3,998,252 |
| Population Growth (%) |
19.15 |
38.95 |
| Area (sq km) |
4,307 |
4,483 |
| Density per sq km |
668 |
892 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
975 |
986 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years) |
961 |
959 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
76.85 |
84.49 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
84.73 |
89.89 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
68.79 |
79.02 |
Population Projections up to 2036
| Year |
Estimated Population |
| 2026 |
4,283,728 |
| 2027 |
4,289,634 |
| 2028 |
4,295,540 |
| 2029 |
4,301,446 |
| 2030 |
4,307,352 |
| 2031 |
4,309,725 |
| 2034 |
4,309,228 |
| 2035 |
4,309,063 |
| 2036 |
4,308,897 |
Population, Child Population and Sex Ratio
Basic Population Structure 2011
| Category |
Male |
Female |
| Total Population |
2,012,958 |
1,985,294 |
| Child Population 0-6 years |
220,341 |
211,233 |
| Total Child Population 0-6 |
431,574 |
| Child Share in Total Population |
10.79 % |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
986 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years) |
959 |
Urban and Rural Child Data
| Area Type |
Child Population 0-6 |
Child Sex Ratio |
| Urban |
272,948 |
957 |
| Rural |
158,626 |
961 |
Literacy Rate, Male Literacy and Female Literacy
Overall and Gender Wise Literacy
| Indicator |
Rate (%) |
| Overall Literacy |
84.49 |
| Male Literacy |
89.89 |
| Female Literacy |
79.02 |
Urban and Rural Literacy Pattern
| Area Type |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Total |
84.49 |
89.89 |
79.02 |
| Urban |
89.39 |
93.49 |
85.24 |
| Rural |
75.95 |
83.63 |
68.20 |
Literacy by Religion
| Religion |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Hindu |
83.69 |
89.36 |
77.95 |
| Christian |
91.90 |
94.69 |
89.19 |
| Muslim |
89.12 |
93.30 |
84.86 |
| Religion not stated |
86.51 |
93.04 |
81.74 |
Religion and Caste (SC / ST)
Religion Wise Population
| Religion |
Population |
Percentage |
| Hindu |
3,537,399 |
88.47 % |
| Christian |
256,762 |
6.42 % |
| Muslim |
173,785 |
4.35 % |
| Religion not stated |
21,978 |
0.55 % |
| Jain |
4,962 |
0.12 % |
| Sikh |
1,620 |
0.04 % |
| Buddhist |
990 |
0.02 % |
| Other religions |
756 |
0.02 % |
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Population
| Group |
Population |
Share in District (%) |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
948,081 |
23.71 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
41,210 |
1.03 |
SC and ST Sex Ratio
| Group |
Male |
Female |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
474,264 |
473,817 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
20,605 |
20,605 |
Urban and Rural Population, Households and Density
Urban Rural Split
| Area Type |
Population |
Share of Total (%) |
| Urban |
2,538,336 |
63.49 |
| Rural |
1,459,916 |
36.51 |
Urban and Rural Detailed Profile
| Description |
Rural |
Urban |
| Total Population |
1,459,916 |
2,538,336 |
| Male Population |
734,979 |
1,277,979 |
| Female Population |
724,937 |
1,260,357 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
986 |
986 |
| Child Population 0-6 |
158,626 |
272,948 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
75.95 |
89.39 |
Area, Density and Households
| Item |
Figure |
| Total Area (sq km) |
4,483 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
892 |
| Total Households |
1,006,245 |
| Houseless Families |
1,043 |
| Houseless Population |
3,980 |
| Total Towns |
75 |
| Total Villages |
1,019 |
Workforce and Economic Profile
Workers by Category
| Work Category |
Number of Workers |
| Total Workers |
1,673,814 |
| Main Workers |
1,367,378 |
| Marginal Workers |
306,436 |
| Cultivators (main) |
74,761 |
| Main Agricultural Labourers |
162,494 |
| Household Industries (main) |
41,149 |
| Other Workers (main) |
1,088,974 |
| Marginal Cultivators |
14,582 |
| Marginal Agricultural Labourers |
110,020 |
| Marginal Household Industry Workers |
13,583 |
| Other Marginal Workers |
168,251 |
Worker Profile Overview
| Category |
Number |
| Total Workers |
1,673,814 |
| Male Workers |
1,181,308 |
| Female Workers |
492,506 |
| Worker Share in Total Population |
about 41.86 % |
Administrative Divisions, Sub-Districts and Urban Centres
Revenue and Local Body Structure
| Administrative Unit |
Count |
| Revenue Divisions |
2 |
| Taluks (current map) |
5 |
| Panchayat Unions / Blocks |
5 |
| Village Panchayats |
274 |
| Municipal Corporation |
1 |
| Municipalities |
2 |
| Town Panchayats |
3 |
Sub-Districts (Taluks / Tahsils as per Census 2011)
| Sub-District (Taluk) |
Type |
| Alandur |
Taluk |
| Chengalpattu |
Taluk |
| Cheyyur |
Taluk |
| Kancheepuram |
Taluk |
| Maduranthakam |
Taluk |
| Sholinganallur |
Taluk |
| Sriperumbudur |
Taluk |
| Tambaram |
Taluk |
| Tirukalukundram |
Taluk |
| Uthiramerur |
Taluk |
Main Cities and Towns (Urban Areas)
| Urban Centre |
Population 2011 |
| Pallavaram (Municipality) |
215,417 |
| Tambaram (Municipality) |
174,787 |
| Alandur (Municipality) |
164,430 |
| Kancheepuram (Municipality) |
164,384 |
| Kancheepuram Urban Agglomeration |
221,715 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the total population of Kancheepuram district? It is 39.98 lakh as per 2011 census.
- How many people live in urban areas of Kancheepuram? About 25.38 lakh people live in urban parts.
- What is the literacy rate in Kancheepuram district? Overall literacy is about 84.5 percent.
- What is the SC and ST share in the district? SC share is 23.71 percent and ST share is 1.03 percent.
- What is the population density of Kancheepuram? It is about 892 persons per square kilometre.