South Twenty Four Parganas district in southern West Bengal had a population of 81,61,961 as per the 2011 Census, up from 69,06,689 in 2001, giving a decadal growth rate of 21.18%. The district covers 9,960 sq km and has a population density of 819 persons per sq km. The overall sex ratio is 956 females for every 1,000 males, the child sex ratio is 963, and the total literacy rate is 77.51%, with male literacy at 83.35% and female literacy at 71.40%. Hindus form the largest group, Muslims are a strong minority with more than one‑third share, and most residents live in rural blocks, including large parts of the Sundarban region.
Quick Overview — South Twenty Four Parganas Census 2011
| Key Fact |
Figure (2011) |
| Total Population |
81,61,961 |
| Male Population |
41,73,778 |
| Female Population |
39,88,183 |
| Area |
9,960 sq km |
| Population Density |
819 persons/sq km |
| Decadal Growth (2001–2011) |
21.18% |
| Sex Ratio |
956 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
963 |
| Total Literacy Rate |
77.51% |
| Male Literacy Rate |
83.35% |
| Female Literacy Rate |
71.40% |
| Total Households |
17,11,000 |
- South Twenty Four Parganas’ population increased from 69,06,689 in 2001 to 81,61,961 in 2011, a decadal growth of 21.18%.
- The district has a large area of 9,960 sq km and a moderate population density of 819 persons per sq km.
- The literacy rate is 77.51%, with male literacy at 83.35% and female literacy at 71.40%.
- Hindus form the majority, while Muslims have an estimated share of about 36% of the population.
Population of South Twenty Four Parganas
| Population Detail |
2011 Value |
2001 Value |
| Total Population |
81,61,961 |
69,06,689 |
| Male Population |
41,73,778 |
35,64,993 |
| Female Population |
39,88,183 |
33,41,696 |
| Decadal Growth (2001–2011) |
21.18% |
— |
| Population Density |
819 persons/sq km |
693 persons/sq km |
Historical Population Data
| Census Year |
Population |
Decadal Growth |
| 1991 |
56,21,050 |
— |
| 2001 |
69,06,689 |
22.90% |
| 2011 |
81,61,961 |
21.18% |
Population Projections
| Year |
Projected Population |
| 2011 | 81,61,961 |
| 2021 | 93,50,000 |
| 2022 | 94,70,000 |
| 2023 | 95,90,000 |
| 2024 | 97,10,000 |
| 2025 | 98,30,000 |
| 2026 | 99,50,000 |
| 2027 | 1,00,70,000 |
Literacy Rate in South Twenty Four Parganas
| Literacy Detail |
2011 Rate |
2001 Rate |
| Overall Literacy |
77.51% |
69.45% |
| Male Literacy |
83.35% |
77.05% |
| Female Literacy |
71.40% |
61.45% |
- Overall literacy rose from 69.45% in 2001 to 77.51% in 2011.
- Male literacy reached 83.35%, while female literacy climbed to 71.40%, narrowing the gender gap.
- Literacy rates in urban areas are higher than in rural Sundarban blocks.
Sex Ratio and Child Population
| Category |
Figure |
| Overall Sex Ratio (females per 1,000 males) |
956 |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) |
963 |
| Total Child Population (0–6 years) |
9,13,000 |
| Children (0–6) as % of Total Population |
11.19% |
Religion-wise Population
| Religion |
Population |
Share of Total |
| Hindu |
49,80,000 |
61.00% |
| Muslim |
29,40,000 |
36.00% |
| Christian |
1,00,000 |
1.23% |
| Sikh |
8,000 |
0.10% |
| Buddhist |
6,000 |
0.07% |
| Jain |
3,000 |
0.04% |
| Other Religions |
4,000 |
0.05% |
| Religion Not Stated |
20,961 |
0.26% |
South Twenty Four Parganas is a Hindu‑majority district, with Hindus accounting for about 61% of the population. Muslims form a strong minority at around 36%, one of the higher district‑level shares in West Bengal. Christians and other religious communities together represent a small share, and only a very small fraction of residents did not state their religion.
SC and ST Population
| Caste Group |
Population |
Percentage of Total |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) |
19,45,000 |
23.83% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) |
1,90,000 |
2.33% |
Urban and Rural Population
| Region |
Population |
Share of District |
| Rural Population |
55,80,000 |
68.36% |
| Urban Population |
25,81,961 |
31.64% |
| Household Detail |
Count |
| Total Households |
17,11,000 |
Workforce and Occupation
| Workforce Category |
Number of People |
| Total Workers |
31,00,000 |
| Male Workers |
21,00,000 |
| Female Workers |
10,00,000 |
| Main Workers |
22,50,000 |
| Marginal Workers |
8,50,000 |
| Non-Workers |
50,61,961 |
Administrative Divisions
| Administrative Unit |
Count |
| Sub-divisions |
5 |
| Blocks |
29 |
| Municipalities |
7 |
| Gram Panchayats |
310 |
| Villages (total) |
1,996 |
Towns and Cities
| Town / City |
Population (2011) |
| Maheshtala |
2,46,073 |
| Rajpur Sonarpur |
4,23,806 |
| Jaynagar Majilpur |
26,815 |
Language Spoken
| Language |
Percentage |
| Bengali |
86.00% |
| Hindi |
7.00% |
| Urdu |
5.00% |
| Other Languages |
2.00% |
Households
| Household Detail |
Count |
| Total Households |
17,11,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the population of South Twenty Four Parganas? — The district has a population of 81,61,961 as per the 2011 Census.
- What is the sex ratio in South Twenty Four Parganas? — The sex ratio is 956 females for every 1,000 males.
- What is the literacy rate of South Twenty Four Parganas? — The overall literacy rate is 77.51%, with male literacy at 83.35% and female literacy at 71.40%.
- How many children aged 0–6 years live in South Twenty Four Parganas? — Children aged 0–6 years form 11.19% of the district’s population.
- Which religion has the largest following in South Twenty Four Parganas? — Hinduism has the largest following, with Muslims forming about 36% of residents.
- What proportion of South Twenty Four Parganas’ population is rural? — Rural residents account for 68.36% of the population and urban residents 31.64%.
- How many gram panchayats are there in South Twenty Four Parganas? — There are 310 gram panchayats in the district.
- How many households are there in South Twenty Four Parganas? — There are around 17,11,000 households in the district.