City in Kerala

Thrissur Population 2026

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

3,15,957 within city limits (Thrissur (M Corp.)); the Thrissur urban agglomeration had 18,61,269; the Thrissur district had 31,21,200.

City, metro area and district compared

Metro area (UA) · 1 March 2026

≈ 20.2 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →

20,20,000 2.02 million 1 March 2026

The Thrissur metro area is estimated at ≈20.2 lakh on 1 March 2026, and the city within its municipal limits at ≈3.2 lakh. Census 2011 counted 18,61,269 in the urban agglomeration and 3,15,957 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

Thrissur (municipal limits)

Census 2011: 3,15,957
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 3.2 lakh

Metro area (UA)

Thrissur urban agglomeration

Census 2011: 18,61,269
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 20.2 lakh

District

Thrissur district

Census 2011: 31,21,200
2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →: ≈ 33.8 lakh

Key figures

City 2026: ≈ 3.2 lakh 3,20,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
City · Census 2011: 3.16 lakh 3,15,957 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
Metro area (UA) · 2011: 18.61 lakh 18,61,269
Metro area (UA) · 2026: ≈ 20.2 lakh 20,20,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
Sex ratio: 1075 Kerala: 1084
Child sex ratio (0–6): 950 Kerala: 964
Literacy rate: 97.1% Male 98.1% · Female 96.1%
Households: 78.3 thousand 4.0 people per household
Area: 101.4km² Census 2011 (A-4)
Density: 3,115per km² 2011
Growth 2001–11: −0.5% City
Work participation: 35.8% 2011

Population over time

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

Metro area (UA)
City
Census
Estimate

21 L3.2 L 2026

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Metro area (UA)	City
1951	1,27,948	75,342
1961	1,57,282	73,038
1971	2,05,038	1,02,198
1981	4,72,889	2,51,136
1991	6,27,063	2,87,341
2001	7,73,598	3,17,526
2011	18,61,269	3,15,957
2016 *	19,30,000	3,20,000
2021 *	19,80,000	3,20,000
2026 *	20,20,000	3,20,000
2031 *	20,40,000	3,20,000
2036 *	20,50,000	3,20,000

* Estimate

What the Thrissur metro area includes

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

Thrissur 3,15,957
Kodungallur OG 60,190
Kunnamkulam 54,071
Chavakkad 39,098
Methala CT 37,505
Kaipamangalam CT 35,626
Vadanappally CT 30,657
Amballur CT 29,341
Irinjalakuda 28,741
Talikkulam CT 25,507
Perinjanam CT 21,012
Guruvayoor 20,510

What the numbers say

The Thrissur metro area (urban agglomeration) had 18.61 lakh people in 2011, 5.9 times the 3.16 lakh inside city limits.
The city accounts for 10.1% of the population of the district it lies in.
Within comparable limits, the city grew -0.5% between 2001 and 2011, one of the few large cities to shrink.
Literacy in the city was 97.1% in 2011, against 94.0% for Kerala.
By 2011 population it ranks 21st among the 150+ cities on this site and 3rd in Kerala.
Our 2026 estimate for the metro area is ≈20.2 lakh, on 2011 boundaries; it is not an official figure.

Cities of similar size

Census 2027 status

Results pending

Phase I: houselisting

Done (1 July 2026 – 30 July 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 Thrissur, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Thrissur in 2026?

There is no official figure after Census 2011. Our estimate for 1 March 2026 is ≈3.2 lakh within the 2011 city limits and ≈20.2 lakh for the metro area (urban agglomeration). Both are labelled estimates (method M1).

What was the population of Thrissur in Census 2011?

3,15,957 within city limits (Thrissur (M Corp.)); the Thrissur urban agglomeration had 18,61,269; the Thrissur district had 31,21,200.

Why do sources give such different numbers for Thrissur?

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 Thrissur?

97.1% in Census 2011 (men 98.1%, women 96.1%). The sex ratio was 1075 females per 1,000 males.

Sources and method

Data updated: 4 October 2026 · Report a correction