City in Madhya Pradesh

Indore Population 2026

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

19,64,086 within city limits (Indore (M Corp.)); the Indore urban agglomeration had 21,70,295; the Indore district had 32,76,697.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 28.8 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

28,80,000 2.88 million 1 March 2026

The Indore metro area is estimated at ≈28.8 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈26.1 lakh. Census 2011 counted 21,70,295 in the urban agglomeration and 19,64,086 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

Indore (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 19,64,086
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 26.1 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Indore urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 21,70,295
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 28.8 lakh

District

Indore district

Census 2011: 32,76,697
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 43.53 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 26.1 lakh 26,10,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 19.64 lakh 19,64,086 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 21.7 lakh 21,70,295
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 28.8 lakh 28,80,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 925 Madhya Pradesh: 931
Child sex ratio (0–6): 895 Madhya Pradesh: 918
Literacy rate: 85.9% Male 90.0% · Female 81.5%
Households: 3.99 lakh 4.9 people per household
Area: 130.2km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 15,089per km² 2011
Work participation: 36.3% 2011
Children 0–6: 2.33 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

33 L30 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	3,10,859	3,10,859
1961	3,94,941	3,94,941
1971	5,60,936	5,60,936
1981	8,29,327	8,29,327
1991	11,09,056	11,07,321
2001	15,16,918	15,03,237
2011	21,70,295	19,64,086
2016 *	24,10,000	21,80,000
2021 *	26,50,000	24,00,000
2026 *	28,80,000	26,10,000
2031 *	31,00,000	28,00,000
2036 *	33,00,000	29,90,000

* Estimate

What the Indore metro area includes

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

Indore OG 19,94,397
Bangarda Chhota CT 64,213
Palda CT 18,697
Bank CT 18,534
Bangarda Bada CT 15,761
Pipalya Kumar CT 10,684
Lasudiya Mori CT 10,225
Hukmakhedi CT 10,165
Limbodi CT 9,488
Ahirkhedi CT 9,357
Bhicholi Hapsi CT 8,774

What the numbers say

The Indore metro area (urban agglomeration) had 21.7 lakh people in 2011, 1.1 times the 19.64 lakh inside city limits.
The city accounts for 59.9% of the population of the district it lies in.
Literacy in the city was 85.9% in 2011, against 69.3% for Madhya Pradesh.
By 2011 population it ranks 15th among the 150+ cities on this site and 1st in Madhya Pradesh.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈28.8 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 Indore, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Indore in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈26.1 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈28.8 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Indore in Census 2011?

19,64,086 within city limits (Indore (M Corp.)); the Indore urban agglomeration had 21,70,295; the Indore district had 32,76,697.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Indore?

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 Indore?

85.9% in Census 2011 (men 90.0%, women 81.5%). The sex ratio was 925 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction