City in Uttar Pradesh

Kanpur Population 2026

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

27,65,348 within city limits (Kanpur (M Corp.)); the Kanpur urban agglomeration had 29,20,496; the Kanpur Nagar district had 45,81,268.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 31.5 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

31,50,000 3.15 million 1 March 2026

The Kanpur metro area is estimated at ≈31.5 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈30.1 lakh. Census 2011 counted 29,20,496 in the urban agglomeration and 27,65,348 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

Kanpur (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 27,65,348
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 30.1 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Kanpur urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 29,20,496
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 31.5 lakh

District

Kanpur Nagar district

Census 2011: 45,81,268
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 52 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 30.1 lakh 30,10,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 27.65 lakh 27,65,348 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 29.2 lakh 29,20,496
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 31.5 lakh 31,50,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 857 Uttar Pradesh: 912
Child sex ratio (0–6): 861 Uttar Pradesh: 902
Literacy rate: 82.4% Male 84.5% · Female 80.0%
Households: 5.22 lakh 5.3 people per household
Area: 266.7km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 10,367per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: +8.4% City
Work participation: 33.6% 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

32 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	7,05,383	6,46,811
1961	9,71,062	8,92,468
1971	12,75,242	11,60,026
1981	16,39,064	14,89,301
1991	20,29,889	18,74,409
2001	27,15,555	25,51,337
2011	29,20,496	27,65,348
2016 *	30,10,000	28,60,000
2021 *	30,90,000	29,50,000
2026 *	31,50,000	30,10,000
2031 *	32,00,000	30,60,000
2036 *	32,40,000	31,00,000

* Estimate

What the Kanpur metro area includes

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

Kanpur OG 27,68,057
Kanpur Cantonment 1,08,534
Northern Rly Colony CT 20,916
Armapur Estate CT 15,463
Chakeri CT 7,526

What the numbers say

The Kanpur metro area (urban agglomeration) had 29.2 lakh people in 2011, 1.1 times the 27.65 lakh inside city limits.
The city accounts for 60.4% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew 8.4% between 2001 and 2011.
Literacy in the city was 82.4% in 2011, against 67.7% for Uttar Pradesh.
There were 857 females per 1,000 males, fewer than in the state (912), typical of cities that draw male migrants for work.
By 2011 population it ranks 11th among the 150+ cities on this site and 1st in Uttar Pradesh.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈31.5 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

Phase I: houselisting

Done (22 May 2026 – 20 June 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 Kanpur, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Kanpur in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈30.1 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈31.5 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Kanpur in Census 2011?

27,65,348 within city limits (Kanpur (M Corp.)); the Kanpur urban agglomeration had 29,20,496; the Kanpur Nagar district had 45,81,268.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Kanpur?

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 Kanpur?

82.4% in Census 2011 (men 84.5%, women 80.0%). The sex ratio was 857 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction