City in Tamil Nadu

Salem Population 2026

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

8,29,267 within city limits (Salem (M Corp.)); the Salem urban agglomeration had 9,17,414; the Salem district had 34,82,056.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 10.1 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

10,10,000 1.01 million 1 March 2026

The Salem metro area is estimated at ≈10.1 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈9 lakh. Census 2011 counted 9,17,414 in the urban agglomeration and 8,29,267 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

Salem (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 8,29,267
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 9 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Salem urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 9,17,414
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 10.1 lakh

District

Salem district

Census 2011: 34,82,056
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 37.29 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 9 lakh 9,00,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 8.29 lakh 8,29,267 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 9.17 lakh 9,17,414
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 10.1 lakh 10,10,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 987 Tamil Nadu: 996
Child sex ratio (0–6): 949 Tamil Nadu: 943
Literacy rate: 84.4% Male 89.3% · Female 79.5%
Households: 2.16 lakh 3.8 people per household
Area: 91.3km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 9,079per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: +19.0% City
Work participation: 40.1% 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

10 L9.1 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	2,02,335	2,02,335
1961	2,73,134	2,73,134
1971	4,10,042	3,98,200
1981	5,11,709	4,98,856
1991	5,77,260	5,51,803
2001	7,51,438	6,96,760
2011	9,17,414	8,29,267
2016 *	9,60,000	8,60,000
2021 *	9,90,000	8,90,000
2026 *	10,10,000	9,00,000
2031 *	10,20,000	9,10,000
2036 *	10,20,000	9,10,000

* Estimate

What the Salem metro area includes

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

Salem 8,29,267
Kondalampatti CT 20,318
Kannankurichi 19,765
Neykkarappatti CT 12,090
Erumapalayam CT 10,220
Mallamooppampatti CT 10,199
Sanniyasigundu CT 7,823
Dalavaipatti CT 7,732

What the numbers say

The Salem metro area (urban agglomeration) had 9.17 lakh people in 2011, 1.1 times the 8.29 lakh inside city limits.
The city accounts for 23.8% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew 19.0% between 2001 and 2011.
Literacy in the city was 84.4% in 2011, against 80.1% for Tamil Nadu.
By 2011 population it ranks 65th among the 150+ cities on this site and 6th in Tamil Nadu.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈10.1 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 Salem, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Salem in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈9 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈10.1 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Salem in Census 2011?

8,29,267 within city limits (Salem (M Corp.)); the Salem urban agglomeration had 9,17,414; the Salem district had 34,82,056.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Salem?

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 Salem?

84.4% in Census 2011 (men 89.3%, women 79.5%). The sex ratio was 987 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction