City in Jharkhand

Ranchi Population 2026

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

10,73,427 within city limits (Ranchi (M Corp.)); the Ranchi urban agglomeration had 11,26,720; the Ranchi district had 29,14,253.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 15 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

15,00,000 1.5 million 1 March 2026

The Ranchi metro area is estimated at ≈15 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈13.8 lakh. Census 2011 counted 11,26,720 in the urban agglomeration and 10,73,427 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

Ranchi (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 10,73,427
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 13.8 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Ranchi urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 11,26,720
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 15 lakh

District

Ranchi district

Census 2011: 29,14,253
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 36.48 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 13.8 lakh 13,80,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 10.73 lakh 10,73,427 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 11.27 lakh 11,26,720
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 15 lakh 15,00,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 921 Jharkhand: 948
Child sex ratio (0–6): 899 Jharkhand: 948
Literacy rate: 87.4% Male 91.7% · Female 82.7%
Households: 2.08 lakh 5.2 people per household
Area: 175.1km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 6,130per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: +26.7% City
Work participation: 31.3% 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

17 L16 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	1,06,849	1,06,849
1961	1,40,253	1,40,253
1971	2,66,545	2,55,551
1981	5,02,771	4,89,626
1991	6,14,795	5,99,306
2001	8,63,495	8,47,093
2011	11,26,720	10,73,427
2016 *	12,50,000	11,80,000
2021 *	13,80,000	12,90,000
2026 *	15,00,000	13,80,000
2031 *	16,10,000	14,70,000
2036 *	17,00,000	15,50,000

* Estimate

What the Ranchi metro area includes

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

Ranchi 10,73,427
Kanke CT 17,560
Tundiul CT 11,190
Arsande CT 9,582
Bargarwa CT 8,615
Ara CT 6,346

What the numbers say

The city accounts for 36.8% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew 26.7% between 2001 and 2011.
Literacy in the city was 87.4% in 2011, against 66.4% for Jharkhand.
There were 921 females per 1,000 males, fewer than in the state (948), typical of cities that draw male migrants for work.
By 2011 population it ranks 49th among the 150+ cities on this site and 3rd in Jharkhand.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈15 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 Ranchi, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Ranchi in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈13.8 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈15 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Ranchi in Census 2011?

10,73,427 within city limits (Ranchi (M Corp.)); the Ranchi urban agglomeration had 11,26,720; the Ranchi district had 29,14,253.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Ranchi?

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 Ranchi?

87.4% in Census 2011 (men 91.7%, women 82.7%). The sex ratio was 921 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction