Nagapattinam district lies along the Bay of Bengal coast in Tamil Nadu and is known for its long shoreline, fishing communities and important pilgrimage centres like Nagore and Velankanni. As per Census 2011, the district had a total population of 16.16 lakh, with women slightly outnumbering men. Recent estimate portals suggest that by 2026 the district population would be in the range of about 17.32 lakh to 17.74 lakh, depending on the projection model taken. The district covers nearly 2,569 sq km and recorded a population density of 629 persons per sq km in 2011. Overall literacy rate stood at 83.59 percent, and the sex ratio was close to 1,025–1,026 females for every 1,000 males. Children in the 0–6 age group formed 10.22 percent of the population. Hindus form a clear majority in the district, with Muslims and Christians present in smaller but important shares. Most people still live in rural areas, though Nagapattinam town and nearby coastal centres give the district a strong urban and port flavour.
Quick Overview of District Census 2011
| Item |
Figure |
| District Name |
Nagapattinam |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Census Year |
2011 |
| Total Population |
1,616,450 |
| Male Population |
798,127 |
| Female Population |
818,323 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1025–1026 |
| Child Population 0–6 years |
165,245 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
959–960 |
| Total Area (sq km) |
2,569 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
629 |
| Average Literacy Rate |
83.59 % |
| Male Literacy Rate |
89.79 % |
| Female Literacy Rate |
77.58 % |
| Urban Population Share |
22.56 % |
| Rural Population Share |
77.44 % |
| Total Households |
413,837 |
| Houseless Families |
403 |
| Houseless Population |
1,334 |
Historic Census Data and Population Projections
Population from 1901 to 2011
| Census Year |
Population |
| 1901 |
652,643 |
| 1911 |
688,101 |
| 1921 |
674,234 |
| 1931 |
693,484 |
| 1941 |
745,006 |
| 1951 |
863,674 |
| 1961 |
954,318 |
| 1971 |
1,087,429 |
| 1981 |
1,234,441 |
| 1991 |
1,377,601 |
| 2001 |
1,488,839 |
| 2011 |
1,616,450 |
Key Census Indicators 2001 and 2011
| Indicator |
2001 |
2011 |
| Actual Population |
1,488,839 |
1,616,450 |
| Population (in lakh) |
14.89 |
16.16 |
| Population Growth (%) |
8.07 |
8.57 |
| Area (sq km) |
2,417 |
2,569 |
| Density (persons per sq km) |
616 |
629 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1,014 |
1,025 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
963 |
959 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
76.34 |
83.59 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
84.89 |
89.79 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
67.96 |
77.58 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
183,346 |
165,245 |
| Child Share in Population (%) |
12.31 |
10.22 |
Population Projections up to 2031
| Year |
Projected Population (Census2011 method) |
Projected Population (Censusofindia.net) |
| 2021 |
1,730,000 |
– |
| 2024 |
1,760,000 |
– |
| 2025 |
1,760,000 |
– |
| 2026 |
1,770,000 (17.74 lakh) |
17.32 lakh (17,31,865) |
| 2027 |
1,770,000 |
17.34 lakh (17,34,253) |
| 2030 |
1,780,000 |
17.41 lakh (17,41,416) |
| 2031 |
1,790,000 (17.93 lakh) |
17.42 lakh (17,42,375) |
Population, Child Population and Sex Ratio
Basic Population Structure 2011
| Category |
Male |
Female |
| Total Population |
798,127 |
818,323 |
| Child Population 0–6 years |
84,335 |
80,910 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
165,245 |
| Child Share in Total Population (%) |
10.22 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
1,025–1,026 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
959–960 |
Urban and Rural Child Data 2011
| Area Type |
Child Population 0–6 |
Child Sex Ratio |
Child Share in Area Population (%) |
| Urban |
37,507 |
962 |
10.69 |
| Rural |
127,738 |
958 |
10.20–10.53 |
Literacy Rate, Male Literacy and Female Literacy
Overall and Gender Wise Literacy
| Indicator |
Rate (%) |
| Average Literacy |
83.59 |
| Male Literacy |
89.79 |
| Female Literacy |
77.58 |
Urban and Rural Literacy Pattern
| Area Type |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Total |
83.59 |
89.79 |
77.58 |
| Urban |
89.03 |
93.74 |
84.54 |
| Rural |
82.00 |
88.65 |
75.54 |
Literacy by Religion
| Religion |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Hindu |
82.78 |
89.24 |
76.46 |
| Muslim |
91.83 |
96.09 |
88.13 |
| Christian |
86.76 |
91.47 |
82.36 |
| Religion not stated |
74.70 |
81.16 |
68.58 |
Religion and Caste (SC / ST)
Religion Wise Population 2011
| Religion |
Population |
Percentage |
| Hindu |
1,435,072 |
88.78 % |
| Muslim |
128,617 |
7.96 % |
| Christian |
47,579 |
2.94 % |
| Sikh |
184 |
0.01 % |
| Buddhist |
450 |
0.03 % |
| Jain |
963 |
0.06 % |
| Other religions |
110 |
0.01 % |
| Religion not stated |
3,475 |
0.21 % |
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Population
| Group |
Population |
Share in District (%) |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
509,767 |
31.54 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
3,756 |
0.23 |
SC and ST Population by Gender
| Group |
Male Population |
Female Population |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
252,332 |
257,435 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
1,847 |
1,909 |
Urban and Rural Population, Density and Households
Urban–Rural Split 2011
| Area Type |
Population |
Share of Total (%) |
| Urban |
364,624 |
22.56 |
| Rural |
1,251,826 |
77.44 |
| Total |
1,616,450 |
100.00 |
Gender Split in Urban and Rural Areas
| Area Type |
Male |
Female |
Sex Ratio |
| Urban |
178,758 |
185,866 |
1,040 |
| Rural |
619,369 |
632,457 |
1,021–1,022 |
Area, Density and Household Details
| Indicator |
Figure |
| District Area |
2,569 sq km |
| Population Density |
629 per sq km |
| Total Households |
413,837 |
| Number of Towns |
14 |
| Number of Villages |
491 |
| Houseless Families |
403 |
| Houseless Population |
1,334 |
Extra District Facts
| Topic |
Detail |
| District Headquarters |
Nagapattinam |
| District Formation |
Created by bifurcating Thanjavur district on 19 October 1991 |
| Coastline |
About 187 km along Bay of Bengal and Palk Strait |
| Main Language |
Tamil is predominant, spoken by over 99% of residents |
| Tourism and Pilgrimage |
Famous for Nagore Dargah, Velankanni Basilica, Sikkal and Vedaranyam temples |