City in Maharashtra

Kolhapur Population 2026

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

5,49,236 within city limits (Kolhapur (M Corp.)); the Kolhapur urban agglomeration had 5,61,837; the Kolhapur district had 38,76,001.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 6.2 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

6,20,000 620,000 1 March 2026

The Kolhapur metro area is estimated at ≈6.2 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈6.1 lakh. Census 2011 counted 5,61,837 in the urban agglomeration and 5,49,236 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

Kolhapur (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 5,49,236
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 6.1 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Kolhapur urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 5,61,837
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 6.2 lakh

District

Kolhapur district

Census 2011: 38,76,001
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 42.62 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 6.1 lakh 6,10,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 5.49 lakh 5,49,236 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 5.62 lakh 5,61,837
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 6.2 lakh 6,20,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 959 Maharashtra: 929
Child sex ratio (0–6): 845 Maharashtra: 894
Literacy rate: 90.6% Male 94.0% · Female 87.2%
Households: 1.24 lakh 4.4 people per household
Area: 66.8km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 8,220per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: +11.4% City
Work participation: 34.9% 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

6.5 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	1,36,835	1,36,835
1961	1,93,186	1,87,442
1971	2,67,513	2,59,050
1981	3,51,392	3,40,625
1991	4,18,538	4,06,370
2001	5,05,541	4,93,167
2011	5,61,837	5,49,236
2016 *	5,80,000	5,70,000
2021 *	6,00,000	5,90,000
2026 *	6,20,000	6,10,000
2031 *	6,30,000	6,20,000
2036 *	6,50,000	6,30,000

* Estimate

What the Kolhapur metro area includes

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

Kolhapur 5,49,236
Gandhinagar CT 12,601

What the numbers say

The city accounts for 14.2% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew 11.4% between 2001 and 2011.
Literacy in the city was 90.6% in 2011, against 82.3% for Maharashtra.
There were 959 females per 1,000 males, more than in the state (929).
By 2011 population it ranks 92nd among the 150+ cities on this site and 16th in Maharashtra.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈6.2 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

Phase I: houselisting

Done (16 May 2026 – 14 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 Kolhapur, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Kolhapur in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈6.1 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈6.2 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Kolhapur in Census 2011?

5,49,236 within city limits (Kolhapur (M Corp.)); the Kolhapur urban agglomeration had 5,61,837; the Kolhapur district had 38,76,001.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Kolhapur?

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 Kolhapur?

90.6% in Census 2011 (men 94.0%, women 87.2%). The sex ratio was 959 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction