City in Chandigarh
Chandigarh Population 2026
City, metro area and district compared
Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026
≈ 11.7 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →
11,70,000 1.17 million 1 March 2026
The Chandigarh metro area is estimated at ≈11.7 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈11.5 lakh. Census 2011 counted 9,70,602 in the urban agglomeration and 9,61,587 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
Chandigarh (municipal limits)
- Census 2011
- 9,61,587
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 11.5 lakh
Metro area (UA)
Chandigarh urban agglomeration
- Census 2011
- 9,70,602
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 11.7 lakh
District
Chandigarh district
- Census 2011
- 10,55,450
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 12.67 lakh
Key figures
- City 2026
- ≈ 11.5 lakh 11,50,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- City · Census 2011
- 9.62 lakh 9,61,587 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
- Metro area (UA) · 2011
- 9.71 lakh 9,70,602
- Metro area (UA) · 2026
- ≈ 11.7 lakh 11,70,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- Sex ratio
- 829 Chandigarh: 818
- Child sex ratio (0–6)
- 875 Chandigarh: 880
- Literacy rate
- 86.4% Male 90.3% · Female 81.8%
- Households
- 2.18 lakh 4.4 people per household
- Area
- 103.2km² Census 2011 (A-4)
- Density
- 9,320per km² 2011
- Work participation
- 38.0% 2011
- Children 0–6
- 1.06 lakh 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 99,262 | 99,262 |
| 1971 | 2,32,940 | 2,32,940 |
| 1981 | 4,22,841 | 4,22,841 |
| 1991 | 5,75,829 | 5,75,829 |
| 2001 | 8,08,515 | 8,08,515 |
| 2011 | 9,70,602 | 9,61,587 |
| 2016 * | 10,40,000 | 10,30,000 |
| 2021 * | 11,10,000 | 11,00,000 |
| 2026 * | 11,70,000 | 11,50,000 |
| 2031 * | 12,10,000 | 12,00,000 |
| 2036 * | 12,50,000 | 12,40,000 |
* Estimate
What the numbers say
- The city accounts for 91.1% of the population of the district it lies in.
- Literacy in the city was 86.4% in 2011, against 86.1% for Chandigarh.
- By 2011 population it ranks 60th among the 150+ cities on this site and 1st in Chandigarh.
- Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈11.7 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.
Cities of similar size
Census 2027 status
Results pending-
Phase I: houselisting
Done (1 May 2026 – 30 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 Chandigarh, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Chandigarh in 2026?
What was the population of Chandigarh in Census 2011?
Why do sources give such different numbers for Chandigarh?
What is the literacy rate of Chandigarh?
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