City in Karnataka

Bengaluru Population 2026

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

84,43,675 within city limits (BBMP (M Corp.)); the Bruhat Bangalore urban agglomeration had 85,20,435; the Bengaluru Urban district had 96,21,551.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 1.11 crore Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

1,11,50,000 11.15 million 1 March 2026

The Bengaluru metro area is estimated at ≈1.11 crore on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈1.1 crore. Census 2011 counted 85,20,435 in the urban agglomeration and 84,43,675 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

Bengaluru (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 84,43,675
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 1.1 crore

Metro area (UA)

Bruhat Bangalore urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 85,20,435
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 1.11 crore

District

Bengaluru Urban district

Census 2011: 96,21,551
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 1.26 crore

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 1.1 crore 1,10,50,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 84.44 lakh 84,43,675 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 85.2 lakh 85,20,435
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 1.11 crore 1,11,50,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 923 Karnataka: 973
Child sex ratio (0–6): 942 Karnataka: 948
Literacy rate: 88.7% Male 91.7% · Female 85.4%
Households: 21.02 lakh 4.0 people per household
Area: 710.0km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 11,893per km² 2011
Work participation: 43.7% 2011
Children 0–6: 9.16 lakh 0–6 · 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

1.3 cr 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	7,86,343	7,86,343
1961	12,06,961	12,06,961
1971	16,64,208	16,64,208
1981	29,21,751	29,18,920
1991	41,37,314	41,26,016
2001	57,01,446	56,82,293
2011	85,20,435	84,43,675
2016 *	94,20,000	93,30,000
2021 *	1,02,90,000	1,02,00,000
2026 *	1,11,50,000	1,10,50,000
2031 *	1,19,80,000	1,18,70,000
2036 *	1,27,90,000	1,26,80,000

* Estimate

What the Bruhat Bangalore metro area includes

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

Bengaluru OG 84,95,492
Hunsamaranahalli CT 13,389
Chikkabidarakallu CT 11,554

What the numbers say

The city accounts for 87.8% of the population of the district it lies in.
Literacy in the city was 88.7% in 2011, against 75.4% for Karnataka.
There were 923 females per 1,000 males, fewer than in the state (973), typical of cities that draw male migrants for work.
By 2011 population it ranks 5th among the 150+ cities on this site and 1st in Karnataka.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈1.11 crore, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Note: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

Phase I: houselisting

Done (16 April 2026 – 15 May 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 Bengaluru, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Bengaluru in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈1.1 crore within the 2011 city limits and ≈1.11 crore for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Bengaluru in Census 2011?

84,43,675 within city limits (BBMP (M Corp.)); the Bruhat Bangalore urban agglomeration had 85,20,435; the Bengaluru Urban district had 96,21,551.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Bengaluru?

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 Bengaluru?

88.7% in Census 2011 (men 91.7%, women 85.4%). The sex ratio was 923 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction