City in West Bengal
Siliguri Population 2026
City and district figures
City · 1 March 2026
≈ 5.5 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →
5,50,000 550,000 1 March 2026
Siliguri is estimated at ≈5.5 lakh within its 2011 municipal limits on 1 March 2026. Census 2011 counted 5,13,264.
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
Siliguri (municipal limits)
- Census 2011
- 5,13,264
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 5.5 lakh
District
Darjeeling + Jalpaiguri districts
- Census 2011
- 39,76,777
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 43.85 lakh
Key figures
- City 2026
- ≈ 5.5 lakh 5,50,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- City · Census 2011
- 5.13 lakh 5,13,264 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
- Sex ratio
- 946 West Bengal: 950
- Child sex ratio (0–6)
- 931 West Bengal: 956
- Literacy rate
- 85.9% Male 89.5% · Female 82.1%
- Households
- 1.16 lakh 4.4 people per household
- Area
- 41.9km² Census 2011 (A-4)
- Density
- 12,250per km² 2011
- Growth 2001–11
- +8.7% City
- Work participation
- 36.6% 2011
- Children 0–6
- 52.5 thousand 0–6 · 2011
- Children 0–6
- 52.5 thousand 0–6 · 2011
Where it ranks
Population over time
Census counts within the limits of each year, then our estimates on 2011 boundaries.
- Census
- Estimate
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | City |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 32,480 |
| 1961 | 65,471 |
| 1971 | 97,484 |
| 1981 | 2,30,780 |
| 1991 | 3,64,167 |
| 2001 | 4,72,374 |
| 2011 | 5,13,264 |
| 2016 * | 5,30,000 |
| 2021 * | 5,40,000 |
| 2026 * | 5,50,000 |
| 2031 * | 5,50,000 |
| 2036 * | 5,50,000 |
* Estimate
What the numbers say
- The city accounts for 12.9% of the population of the districts it lies in.
- Within comparable limits, the city grew 8.7% between 2001 and 2011.
- Literacy in the city was 85.9% in 2011, against 76.3% for West Bengal.
- By 2011 population it ranks 103rd among the 150+ cities on this site and 5th in West Bengal.
- Our 2026 estimate for the city is ≈5.5 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 Siliguri, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →