City in Uttar Pradesh

Aligarh Population 2026

Q: What was the population of Aligarh in Census 2011?

8,74,408 within city limits (Aligarh (M Corp.)); the Aligarh urban agglomeration had 9,11,223; the Aligarh district had 36,73,889.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 12.6 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

12,60,000 1.26 million 1 March 2026

The Aligarh metro area is estimated at ≈12.6 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈11.6 lakh. Census 2011 counted 9,11,223 in the urban agglomeration and 8,74,408 in the city.

Estimates: method M1 on 2011 boundaries, not official figures. Census: ORGI.

Which number do you mean?

Three areas share the name. Quoting the district figure as the “city population” is the most common mistake.

City

Aligarh (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 8,74,408
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 11.6 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Aligarh urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 9,11,223
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 12.6 lakh

District

Aligarh district

Census 2011: 36,73,889
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 45.31 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 11.6 lakh 11,60,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 8.74 lakh 8,74,408 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 9.11 lakh 9,11,223
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 12.6 lakh 12,60,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 894 Uttar Pradesh: 912
Child sex ratio (0–6): 885 Uttar Pradesh: 902
Literacy rate: 68.5% Male 73.5% · Female 62.9%
Households: 1.47 lakh 5.9 people per household
Area: 40.4km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 21,628per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: +30.7% City
Work participation: 29.6% 2011

Population over time

Census counts within the limits of each year, then our estimates on 2011 boundaries.

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

14 L13 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	1,41,618	1,41,618
1961	1,85,020	1,85,020
1971	2,52,314	2,52,314
1981	3,20,861	3,20,861
1991	4,80,520	4,80,520
2001	6,69,087	6,69,087
2011	9,11,223	8,74,408
2016 *	10,40,000	9,80,000
2021 *	11,60,000	10,80,000
2026 *	12,60,000	11,60,000
2031 *	13,40,000	12,20,000
2036 *	14,10,000	12,70,000

* Estimate

What the Aligarh metro area includes

Constituent units of the urban agglomeration, Census 2011. CT = census town; OG = outgrowth.

Aligarh 8,74,408
Kwarasi CT 15,763
Ashrafpur Jalal CT 11,785
Sarsaul CT 9,267

What the numbers say

The city accounts for 23.8% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew 30.7% between 2001 and 2011.
Literacy in the city was 68.5% in 2011, against 67.7% for Uttar Pradesh.
There were 894 females per 1,000 males, fewer than in the state (912), typical of cities that draw male migrants for work.
By 2011 population it ranks 66th among the 150+ cities on this site and 9th in Uttar Pradesh.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈12.6 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

Phase I: houselisting

Done (22 May 2026 – 20 June 2026)
Phase II: counting people

February 2027 (reference date 1 March 2027)
Results

Not yet released. In 2011, first figures came about a month after counting ended.

When the Registrar General publishes Census 2027 figures for Aligarh, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Aligarh in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈11.6 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈12.6 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Aligarh in Census 2011?

8,74,408 within city limits (Aligarh (M Corp.)); the Aligarh urban agglomeration had 9,11,223; the Aligarh district had 36,73,889.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Aligarh?

They measure different areas. The municipal body covers the city proper; the urban agglomeration adds the contiguous towns and outgrowths around it; the district adds rural areas too. Quoting the district figure as the "city population" is the most common mistake.

What is the literacy rate of Aligarh?

68.5% in Census 2011 (men 73.5%, women 62.9%). The sex ratio was 894 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction