City in West Bengal

Maheshtala Population 2026

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

4,48,317 within city limits (Maheshtala (M)); the Kolkata urban agglomeration had 1,40,57,991; the South 24 Parganas district had 81,61,961.

City, metro area and district compared

City · 1 March 2026

≈ 5 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

5,00,000 500,000 1 March 2026

Maheshtala is estimated at ≈5 lakh within its 2011 municipal limits on 1 March 2026. Census 2011 counted 4,48,317; it is part of the Kolkata urban agglomeration (1,40,57,991).

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

Maheshtala (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 4,48,317
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 5 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Kolkata urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 1,40,57,991
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 1.47 crore

District

South 24 Parganas district

Census 2011: 81,61,961
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 92.31 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 5 lakh 5,00,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 4.48 lakh 4,48,317 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 1.41 crore 1,40,57,991
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 1.47 crore 1,46,90,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 952 West Bengal: 950
Child sex ratio (0–6): 967 West Bengal: 956
Literacy rate: 82.0% Male 85.4% · Female 78.5%
Households: 1.01 lakh 4.4 people per household
Area: 44.2km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 10,148per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: +16.4% City
Work participation: 36.4% 2011

Population over time

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

Census
Estimate

5.2 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	City
1951	6,874
1961	65,787
1971	1,34,051
1981	1,95,693
1991	2,70,373
2001	3,85,266
2011	4,48,317
2016 *	4,70,000
2021 *	4,90,000
2026 *	5,00,000
2031 *	5,10,000
2036 *	5,20,000

* Estimate

What the Kolkata metro area includes

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

Kolkata 44,96,694
Howrah 10,77,075
Maheshtala 4,48,317
Rajpur Sonarpur 4,24,368
South Dum Dum 4,03,316
Rajarhat Gopalpur 4,02,844
Bhatpara OG 3,86,019
Panihati 3,77,347
Kamarhati 3,30,211
Bally 2,93,373
Barasat 2,78,435
North Dum Dum 2,49,142

What the numbers say

Maheshtala is part of the Kolkata urban agglomeration, which had 1.41 crore people in 2011.
The city accounts for 5.5% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew 16.4% between 2001 and 2011.
Literacy in the city was 82.0% in 2011, against 76.3% for West Bengal.
By 2011 population it ranks 118th among the 150+ cities on this site and 6th in West Bengal.
Our 2026 estimate for the city is ≈5 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

Phase I: houselisting

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Maheshtala in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈5 lakh within the 2011 city limits. Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Maheshtala in Census 2011?

4,48,317 within city limits (Maheshtala (M)); the Kolkata urban agglomeration had 1,40,57,991; the South 24 Parganas district had 81,61,961.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Maheshtala?

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 Maheshtala?

82.0% in Census 2011 (men 85.4%, women 78.5%). The sex ratio was 952 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction