City in Kerala

Kollam Population 2026

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

3,48,657 within city limits (Kollam (M Corp.)); the Kollam urban agglomeration had 11,10,668; the Kollam district had 26,35,375.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 11.8 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

11,80,000 1.18 million 1 March 2026

The Kollam metro area is estimated at ≈11.8 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈3.5 lakh. Census 2011 counted 11,10,668 in the urban agglomeration and 3,48,657 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

Kollam (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 3,48,657
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 3.5 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Kollam urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 11,10,668
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 11.8 lakh

District

Kollam district

Census 2011: 26,35,375
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 27.93 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 3.5 lakh 3,50,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 3.49 lakh 3,48,657 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 11.11 lakh 11,10,668
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 11.8 lakh 11,80,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 1075 Kerala: 1084
Child sex ratio (0–6): 968 Kerala: 964
Literacy rate: 94.1% Male 95.6% · Female 92.7%
Households: 84.1 thousand 4.2 people per household
Area: 57.3km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 6,087per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: −3.6% City
Work participation: 34.3% 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

12 L3.5 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	79,937	66,126
1961	1,23,291	1,23,291
1971	1,66,079	1,66,079
1981	2,46,840	2,11,278
1991	3,65,130	3,12,521
2001	4,18,743	3,61,560
2011	11,10,668	3,48,657
2016 *	11,40,000	3,50,000
2021 *	11,60,000	3,50,000
2026 *	11,80,000	3,50,000
2031 *	11,80,000	3,50,000
2036 *	11,80,000	3,50,000

* Estimate

What the Kollam metro area includes

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

Kollam OG 3,67,107
Kottamkara CT 44,402
Chavara CT 42,655
Thrikkovilvattom CT 41,609
Mayyanad CT 40,039
Thrikkadavoor CT 39,285
Thazhuthala CT 37,517
Paravoor 37,245
Perinad CT 35,173
Elampalloor CT 33,959
Meenad CT 29,716
Nedumpana CT 29,454

What the numbers say

The Kollam metro area (urban agglomeration) had 11.11 lakh people in 2011, 3.2 times the 3.49 lakh inside city limits.
The city accounts for 13.2% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew -3.6% between 2001 and 2011, one of the few large cities to shrink.
Literacy in the city was 94.1% in 2011, against 94.0% for Kerala.
By 2011 population it ranks 52nd among the 150+ cities on this site and 7th in Kerala.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈11.8 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

Phase I: houselisting

Done (1 July 2026 – 30 July 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 Kollam, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Kollam in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈3.5 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈11.8 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Kollam in Census 2011?

3,48,657 within city limits (Kollam (M Corp.)); the Kollam urban agglomeration had 11,10,668; the Kollam district had 26,35,375.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Kollam?

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 Kollam?

94.1% in Census 2011 (men 95.6%, women 92.7%). The sex ratio was 1075 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction