Namakkal district is one of the key inland districts of Tamil Nadu and is widely known for poultry farming, egg production and transport-related industries. As per Census 2011, the district had a total population of 17.27 lakh, with 8.69 lakh males and 8.57 lakh females. Population estimate pages place the 2026 population between 18.50 lakh and 20.39 lakh, depending on the calculation model used. The district spreads across around 3,420 sq km and had a population density of 505 persons per sq km in 2011. Literacy in the district stood at 74.63 percent, while the sex ratio remained close to 986 to 987 females for every 1,000 males. Children in the 0–6 age group made up 8.73 percent of the total population. Hinduism is the dominant religion in the district, with only small Muslim and Christian communities. Rural population formed the bigger share in Namakkal, though urban growth is also important in towns like Tiruchengode and Namakkal.
Quick Overview of District Census 2011
| Item |
Figure |
| District Name |
Namakkal |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Census Year |
2011 |
| Total Population |
1,726,601 |
| Male Population |
869,280 |
| Female Population |
857,321 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
986–987 |
| Child Population 0–6 years |
150,699 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
914 |
| Total Area (sq km) |
3,420 |
| Population Density (per sq km) |
505 |
| Average Literacy Rate |
74.63 % |
| Male Literacy Rate |
82.64 % |
| Female Literacy Rate |
66.57 % |
| Urban Population Share |
40.32 % |
| Rural Population Share |
59.68 % |
| Total Households |
475,511 to 476,000 |
| Houseless Families |
210 |
| Houseless Population |
695 |
Historic Census Data and Population Projections
Population from 1901 to 2011
| Census Year |
Population |
| 1901 |
470,628 |
| 1911 |
487,144 |
| 1921 |
525,770 |
| 1931 |
591,864 |
| 1941 |
705,110 |
| 1951 |
848,507 |
| 1961 |
866,530 |
| 1971 |
996,429 |
| 1981 |
1,172,736 |
| 1991 |
1,322,715 |
| 2001 |
1,493,462 |
| 2011 |
1,726,601 |
Key Census Indicators 2001 and 2011
| Indicator |
2001 |
2011 |
| Actual Population |
1,493,462 |
1,726,601 |
| Population (in lakh) |
14.93 |
17.27 |
| Population Growth (%) |
12.91 |
15.61 |
| Area (sq km) |
3,404 |
3,420 |
| Density (persons per sq km) |
439 |
505 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
966 |
986 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
889 |
914 |
| Average Literacy (%) |
67.41 |
74.63 |
| Male Literacy (%) |
77.56 |
82.64 |
| Female Literacy (%) |
57.00 |
66.57 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
152,685 |
150,699 |
| Child Share in Population (%) |
10.22 |
8.73 |
Population Projections up to 2031
| Year |
Projected Population (Census2011 method) |
Projected Population (Censusofindia.net) |
| 2021 |
1,950,000 |
– |
| 2024 |
2,010,000 |
– |
| 2025 |
2,020,000 |
– |
| 2026 |
2,030,000 |
18.50 lakh (18,49,881) |
| 2027 |
2,040,000 |
18.52 lakh (18,52,431) |
| 2030 |
2,070,000 |
18.60 lakh (18,60,083) |
| 2031 |
2,070,000 |
18.61 lakh (18,61,107) |
Population, Child Population and Sex Ratio
Basic Population Structure 2011
| Category |
Male |
Female |
| Total Population |
869,280 |
857,321 |
| Child Population 0–6 years |
78,754 |
71,945 |
| Total Child Population 0–6 |
150,699 |
| Child Share in Total Population (%) |
8.73 |
| Sex Ratio (female per 1000 male) |
986–987 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
914 |
Urban and Rural Child Data 2011
| Area Type |
Child Population 0–6 |
Child Sex Ratio |
Child Share in Area Population (%) |
| Urban |
61,841 |
938 |
8.88 |
| Rural |
88,858 |
897 |
8.62 |
Literacy Rate, Male Literacy and Female Literacy
Overall and Gender Wise Literacy
| Indicator |
Rate (%) |
| Average Literacy |
74.63 |
| Male Literacy |
82.64 |
| Female Literacy |
66.57 |
Urban and Rural Literacy Pattern
| Area Type |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Total |
74.63 |
82.64 |
66.57 |
| Urban |
79.51 |
86.28 |
72.77 |
| Rural |
71.34 |
80.21 |
62.36 |
Literacy by Religion
| Religion |
Average Literacy (%) |
Male Literacy (%) |
Female Literacy (%) |
| Hindu |
74.22 |
82.33 |
66.07 |
| Muslim |
87.13 |
92.46 |
81.77 |
| Christian |
88.75 |
92.47 |
85.16 |
| Religion not stated |
89.38 |
93.92 |
81.59 |
Religion and Caste (SC / ST)
Religion Wise Population 2011
| Religion |
Population |
Percentage |
| Hindu |
1,673,652 |
96.93 % |
| Muslim |
32,483 |
1.88 % |
| Christian |
16,909 |
0.98 % |
| Sikh |
183 |
0.01 % |
| Buddhist |
108 |
0.01 % |
| Jain |
84 |
0.00 % |
| Other religions |
199 |
0.01 % |
| Religion not stated |
2,983 |
0.17 % |
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Population
| Group |
Population |
Share in District (%) |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
345,392 |
20.00 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
57,059 |
3.30 |
SC and ST Population by Gender
| Group |
Male Population |
Female Population |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) |
173,973 |
171,419 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
29,383 |
27,676 |
Urban and Rural Population, Density and Households
Urban–Rural Split 2011
| Area Type |
Population |
Share of Total (%) |
| Urban |
696,125 |
40.32 |
| Rural |
1,030,476 |
59.68 |
| Total |
1,726,601 |
100.00 |
Gender Split in Urban and Rural Areas
| Area Type |
Male |
Female |
Sex Ratio |
| Urban |
348,596 |
347,529 |
997 |
| Rural |
520,684 |
509,792 |
979–980 |
Area, Density and Household Details
| Indicator |
Figure |
| District Area |
3,420 sq km |
| Population Density |
505 per sq km |
| Total Households |
475,511 |
| Number of Towns |
34 |
| Number of Villages |
389 |
| Houseless Families |
210 |
| Houseless Population |
695 |
Extra District Facts
| Topic |
Detail |
| District Headquarters |
Namakkal |
| District Formation |
Bifurcated from Salem district on 25 July 1996 and functioning independently from 1 January 1997 |
| Largest City |
Tiruchengode |
| Main Languages |
Tamil is dominant; Telugu, Kannada and Urdu are also spoken |
| Economic Identity |
Known for poultry, egg production, lorry body building and transport businesses |