City in Odisha
Bhubaneswar Population 2026
City, metro area and district compared
Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026
≈ 9.8 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →
9,80,000 980,000 1 March 2026
The Bhubaneswar metro area is estimated at ≈9.8 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈9.3 lakh. Census 2011 counted 8,85,363 in the urban agglomeration and 8,43,402 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
Bhubaneswar (municipal limits)
- Census 2011
- 8,43,402
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 9.3 lakh
Metro area (UA)
Bhubaneswar urban agglomeration
- Census 2011
- 8,85,363
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 9.8 lakh
District
- Census 2011
- 22,53,387
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 24.89 lakh
Key figures
- City 2026
- ≈ 9.3 lakh 9,30,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- City · Census 2011
- 8.43 lakh 8,43,402 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
- Metro area (UA) · 2011
- 8.85 lakh 8,85,363
- Metro area (UA) · 2026
- ≈ 9.8 lakh 9,80,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- Sex ratio
- 890 Odisha: 979
- Child sex ratio (0–6)
- 904 Odisha: 941
- Literacy rate
- 91.9% Male 94.7% · Female 88.7%
- Households
- 1.97 lakh 4.3 people per household
- Work participation
- 36.8% 2011
- Children 0–6
- 81.8 thousand 0–6 · 2011
- Children 0–6
- 81.8 thousand 0–6 · 2011
- Children 0–6
- 81.8 thousand 0–6 · 2011
Where it ranks
Population over time
Census counts within the limits of each year, then our estimates on 2011 boundaries.
- Metro area (UA)
- City
- Census
- Estimate
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | Metro area (UA) | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 16,512 | – |
| 1961 | 38,211 | – |
| 1971 | 1,05,491 | – |
| 1981 | 2,19,211 | – |
| 1991 | 4,11,542 | – |
| 2001 | 6,58,220 | – |
| 2011 | 8,85,363 | 8,43,402 |
| 2016 * | 9,20,000 | 8,80,000 |
| 2021 * | 9,50,000 | 9,10,000 |
| 2026 * | 9,80,000 | 9,30,000 |
| 2031 * | 10,00,000 | 9,50,000 |
| 2036 * | 10,10,000 | 9,60,000 |
* Estimate
What the numbers say
- The city accounts for 37.4% of the population of the district it lies in.
- Literacy in the city was 91.9% in 2011, against 72.9% for Odisha.
- There were 890 females per 1,000 males, fewer than in the state (979), typical of cities that draw male migrants for work.
- By 2011 population it ranks 69th among the 150+ cities on this site and 1st in Odisha.
- Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈9.8 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.
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 Bhubaneswar, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bhubaneswar in 2026?
What was the population of Bhubaneswar in Census 2011?
Why do sources give such different numbers for Bhubaneswar?
What is the literacy rate of Bhubaneswar?
Sources and method
- Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (ORGI)
- Census 2011 Table A-4: towns and urban agglomerations since 1901
- Census 2011 Primary Census Abstract for urban agglomerations
- Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections 2011–2036 (July 2020)
- Our estimation method M1 (formulas and checks)
Data updated: · Report a correction