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City in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla Population 2026

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 1.9 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

1,90,000 190,000 1 March 2026

The Shimla metro area is estimated at ≈1.9 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈1.9 lakh. Census 2011 counted 1,71,640 in the urban agglomeration and 1,69,578 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

Shimla (municipal limits)

Census 2011
1,69,578
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
≈ 1.9 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Shimla urban agglomeration

Census 2011
1,71,640
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
≈ 1.9 lakh

District

Shimla district

Census 2011
8,14,010
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
≈ 8.97 lakh

Key figures

City 2026
≈ 1.9 lakh 1,90,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011
1.7 lakh 1,69,578 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011
1.72 lakh 1,71,640
Metro area (UA) · 2026
≈ 1.9 lakh 1,90,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio
820 Himachal Pradesh: 972
Child sex ratio (0–6)
890 Himachal Pradesh: 909
Literacy rate
93.6% Male 94.8% · Female 92.2%
Households
46.3 thousand 3.7 people per household
Area
35.3km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density
4,798per km² 2011
Work participation
41.9% 2011
Children 0–6
13.6 thousand 0–6 · 2011

Where it ranks

Population over time

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

Shimla: Population over time
  • Metro area (UA)
  • City
  • Census
  • Estimate
1.9 L 2026
› Show the numbers as a table
YearMetro area (UA)City
195146,15046,150
196144,08442,597
197157,32356,032
198173,00471,608
19911,10,3601,04,533
20011,44,9751,42,555
20111,71,6401,69,578
2016 *1,80,0001,80,000
2021 *1,80,0001,80,000
2026 *1,90,0001,90,000
2031 *1,90,0001,90,000
2036 *1,90,0001,90,000

* Estimate

What the Shimla metro area includes

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

What the Shimla metro area includes
  1. Shimla 1,69,578
  2. Jutogh Cantonment 2,062

What the numbers say

  • The city accounts for 20.8% of the population of the district it lies in.
  • Literacy in the city was 93.6% in 2011, against 82.8% for Himachal Pradesh.
  • There were 820 females per 1,000 males, fewer than in the state (972), typical of cities that draw male migrants for work.
  • By 2011 population it ranks 153rd among the 150+ cities on this site and 1st in Himachal Pradesh.
  • Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈1.9 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

  1. Phase I: houselisting

    Done (16 June 2026 – 15 July 2026)

  2. Phase II: counting people

    Snow-bound areas: September 2026. Rest: February 2027

  3. Results

    Not yet released. In 2011, first figures came about a month after counting ended.

When the Registrar General publishes Census 2027 figures for Shimla, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Shimla in 2026?
There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈1.9 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈1.9 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Shimla in Census 2011?
1,69,578 within city limits (Shimla (M Corp.)); the Shimla urban agglomeration had 1,71,640; the Shimla district had 8,14,010.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Shimla?
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 Shimla?
93.6% in Census 2011 (men 94.8%, women 92.2%). The sex ratio was 820 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: · Report a correction