City in Tamil Nadu

Madurai Population 2026

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

10,17,865 within city limits (Madurai (M Corp.)); the Madurai urban agglomeration had 14,65,625; the Madurai district had 30,38,252.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 16.1 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

16,10,000 1.61 million 1 March 2026

The Madurai metro area is estimated at ≈16.1 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈10.7 lakh. Census 2011 counted 14,65,625 in the urban agglomeration and 10,17,865 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

Madurai (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 10,17,865
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 10.7 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Madurai urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 14,65,625
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 16.1 lakh

District

Madurai district

Census 2011: 30,38,252
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 33.04 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 10.7 lakh 10,70,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 10.18 lakh 10,17,865 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 14.66 lakh 14,65,625
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 16.1 lakh 16,10,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 999 Tamil Nadu: 996
Child sex ratio (0–6): 949 Tamil Nadu: 943
Literacy rate: 90.9% Male 94.8% · Female 87.1%
Households: 2.66 lakh 3.8 people per household
Area: 52.0km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 19,589per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: +9.6% City
Work participation: 38.4% 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

16 L11 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	3,70,791	3,61,781
1961	4,90,882	4,58,981
1971	7,01,904	6,33,989
1981	8,99,303	8,20,891
1991	10,77,158	9,40,989
2001	12,20,898	9,28,869
2011	14,65,625	10,17,865
2016 *	15,30,000	10,40,000
2021 *	15,80,000	10,60,000
2026 *	16,10,000	10,70,000
2031 *	16,20,000	10,70,000
2036 *	16,20,000	10,70,000

* Estimate

What the Madurai metro area includes

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

Madurai 10,17,865
Avaniapuram 89,635
Anaiyur 63,917
Thiruparankundram OG 50,004
Melamadai CT 43,797
Kannanendal CT 31,095
Vilangudi 30,884
Vandiyur CT 28,646
Chinna Anuppanadi CT 26,158
Nagavakulam CT 23,284
Paravai 20,042
Thirunagar 16,598

What the numbers say

The Madurai metro area (urban agglomeration) had 14.66 lakh people in 2011, 1.4 times the 10.18 lakh inside city limits.
The city accounts for 33.5% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew 9.6% between 2001 and 2011.
Literacy in the city was 90.9% in 2011, against 80.1% for Tamil Nadu.
By 2011 population it ranks 33rd among the 150+ cities on this site and 3rd in Tamil Nadu.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈16.1 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

Phase I: houselisting

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Madurai in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈10.7 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈16.1 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Madurai in Census 2011?

10,17,865 within city limits (Madurai (M Corp.)); the Madurai urban agglomeration had 14,65,625; the Madurai district had 30,38,252.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Madurai?

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 Madurai?

90.9% in Census 2011 (men 94.8%, women 87.1%). The sex ratio was 999 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction