City in Bihar

Bhagalpur Population 2026

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

4,00,146 within city limits (Bhagalpur (M Corp.)); the Bhagalpur urban agglomeration had 4,12,209; the Bhagalpur district had 30,25,635.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 4.9 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

4,90,000 490,000 1 March 2026

The Bhagalpur metro area is estimated at ≈4.9 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈4.7 lakh. Census 2011 counted 4,12,209 in the urban agglomeration and 4,00,146 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

Bhagalpur (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 4,00,146
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 4.7 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Bhagalpur urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 4,12,209
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 4.9 lakh

District

Bhagalpur district

Census 2011: 30,25,635
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 38.41 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 4.7 lakh 4,70,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 4 lakh 4,00,146 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 4.12 lakh 4,12,209
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 4.9 lakh 4,90,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 880 Bihar: 918
Child sex ratio (0–6): 908 Bihar: 935
Literacy rate: 79.3% Male 83.6% · Female 74.3%
Households: 70 thousand 5.7 people per household
Area: 30.2km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 13,263per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: +17.4% City
Work participation: 29.8% 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

5.3 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	1,14,530	1,14,530
1961	1,43,850	1,43,850
1971	1,72,202	1,72,202
1981	2,25,062	2,25,062
1991	2,60,119	2,53,225
2001	3,50,133	3,40,767
2011	4,12,209	4,00,146
2016 *	4,40,000	4,30,000
2021 *	4,70,000	4,50,000
2026 *	4,90,000	4,70,000
2031 *	5,10,000	5,00,000
2036 *	5,30,000	5,10,000

* Estimate

What the Bhagalpur metro area includes

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

Bhagalpur 4,00,146
Habibpur CT 12,063

What the numbers say

The city accounts for 13.2% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew 17.4% between 2001 and 2011.
Literacy in the city was 79.3% in 2011, against 61.8% for Bihar.
There were 880 females per 1,000 males, fewer than in the state (918), typical of cities that draw male migrants for work.
By 2011 population it ranks 127th among the 150+ cities on this site and 3rd in Bihar.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈4.9 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

Phase I: houselisting

Done (2 May 2026 – 31 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 Bhagalpur, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Bhagalpur in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈4.7 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈4.9 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Bhagalpur in Census 2011?

4,00,146 within city limits (Bhagalpur (M Corp.)); the Bhagalpur urban agglomeration had 4,12,209; the Bhagalpur district had 30,25,635.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Bhagalpur?

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 Bhagalpur?

79.3% in Census 2011 (men 83.6%, women 74.3%). The sex ratio was 880 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction