City in Tamil Nadu

Thoothukudi Population 2026

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

2,37,830 within city limits (Thoothukkudi (M Corp.)); the Thoothukkudi urban agglomeration had 4,11,628; the Thoothukkudi district had 17,28,330.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 4.2 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

4,20,000 420,000 1 March 2026

The Thoothukudi metro area is estimated at ≈4.2 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈2.5 lakh. Census 2011 counted 4,11,628 in the urban agglomeration and 2,37,830 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

Thoothukudi (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 2,37,830
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 2.5 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Thoothukkudi urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 4,11,628
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 4.2 lakh

District

Thoothukkudi district

Census 2011: 17,28,330
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 17.83 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 2.5 lakh 2,50,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 2.38 lakh 2,37,830 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 4.12 lakh 4,11,628
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 4.2 lakh 4,20,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 1010 Tamil Nadu: 996
Child sex ratio (0–6): 968 Tamil Nadu: 943
Literacy rate: 93.7% Male 95.8% · Female 91.6%
Households: 60.7 thousand 3.9 people per household
Area: 13.5km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 17,656per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: +10.1% City
Work participation: 35.2% 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

4.2 L2.5 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	98,866	98,866
1961	1,27,356	1,24,230
1971	1,70,581	1,55,310
1981	2,35,496	1,92,949
1991	2,62,066	1,99,854
2001	2,93,995	2,16,054
2011	4,11,628	2,37,830
2016 *	4,20,000	2,40,000
2021 *	4,20,000	2,50,000
2026 *	4,20,000	2,50,000
2031 *	4,20,000	2,50,000
2036 *	4,20,000	2,50,000

* Estimate

What the Thoothukkudi metro area includes

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

Thoothukudi 2,37,830
Milavittan CT 45,863
Mappilaiurani CT 40,035
Muttyyapuram CT 32,494
Athimarapatti CT 22,218
Sankaraperi CT 19,844
Kumaragiri CT 13,344

What the numbers say

The Thoothukudi metro area (urban agglomeration) had 4.12 lakh people in 2011, 1.7 times the 2.38 lakh inside city limits.
The city accounts for 13.8% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew 10.1% between 2001 and 2011.
Literacy in the city was 93.7% in 2011, against 80.1% for Tamil Nadu.
By 2011 population it ranks 128th among the 150+ cities on this site and 11th in Tamil Nadu.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈4.2 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 Thoothukudi, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Thoothukudi in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈2.5 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈4.2 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Thoothukudi in Census 2011?

2,37,830 within city limits (Thoothukkudi (M Corp.)); the Thoothukkudi urban agglomeration had 4,11,628; the Thoothukkudi district had 17,28,330.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Thoothukudi?

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 Thoothukudi?

93.7% in Census 2011 (men 95.8%, women 91.6%). The sex ratio was 1010 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction