District of West Bengal
Kolkata District Population 2026
Population · 1 March 2026
≈ 44.31 lakh Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection 1 March 2026 How this is made →
44,31,000 4.43 million 1 March 2026
Kolkata district's population is estimated at ≈44.31 lakh (44,31,000) on 1 March 2026. This is our estimate, tied to the official West Bengal projection; Census 2011, the last count, recorded 44,96,694.
Estimate: method M1, constrained to the RGI projection for West Bengal. Census: ORGI.
Which number do you mean?
The district, the city and the metro area are three different areas. Pick the one you mean.
City
- Census 2011
- 44,96,694
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 45 lakh
Metro area (UA)
Kolkata urban agglomeration
- Census 2011
- 1,40,57,991
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 1.47 crore
District
Kolkata district
- Census 2011
- 44,96,694
- 2026 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- ≈ 44.31 lakh
Key figures
- Population 2026
- ≈ 44.31 lakh 44,31,000 Estimate Our estimate, method M1, constrained to the official state projection How this is made →
- Census 2011
- 44.97 lakh 44,96,694 Census 2011 Final count, Census of India 2011 (ORGI) How this is made →
- Density
- 24,306per km² 2011
- Sex ratio
- 908 West Bengal: 950
- Child sex ratio (0–6)
- 933 West Bengal: 956
- Literacy rate
- 86.3% Male 88.3% · Female 84.1%
- Urban share
- 100.0% West Bengal: 31.9%
- Growth 2001–11
- −1.7% West Bengal: +13.8%
- Area
- 185km² Census 2011
- Households
- 10.25 lakh 4.4 people per household
- Villages
- 0 Census 2011
- Towns
- 1 Census 2011
Where it ranks
Population over time
Census counts on 2011 boundaries, then our estimate to 2036.
- Census
- Estimate
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 29,56,475 |
| 1961 | 33,51,250 |
| 1971 | 37,27,020 |
| 1981 | 41,26,846 |
| 1991 | 43,99,819 |
| 2001 | 45,72,876 |
| 2011 | 44,96,694 |
| 2016 * | 45,14,000 |
| 2021 * | 44,89,000 |
| 2026 * | 44,31,000 |
| 2031 * | 43,39,000 |
| 2036 * | 42,10,000 |
* Estimate
How people in Kolkata worked (Census 2011)
Cultivators
0.9%
Agricultural labourers
0.7%
Household industry
3.8%
Other work
94.6%
Share of all workers, main and marginal. Work participation: 39.9%.
Age structure of Kolkata
Population in five-year age groups, Census 2011. Men on the left, women on the right. Census 2011 Census 2011, as published. How this is made →
- 80+
- 75-79
- 70-74
- 65-69
- 60-64
- 55-59
- 50-54
- 45-49
- 40-44
- 35-39
- 30-34
- 25-29
- 20-24
- 15-19
- 10-14
- 5-9
- 0-4
› Show the numbers as a table
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 1,19,562 | 1,11,746 |
| 5-9 | 1,44,965 | 1,35,107 |
| 10-14 | 1,76,065 | 1,60,785 |
| 15-19 | 1,93,986 | 1,76,528 |
| 20-24 | 2,06,756 | 1,93,539 |
| 25-29 | 2,07,402 | 1,98,948 |
| 30-34 | 1,96,471 | 1,83,604 |
| 35-39 | 1,97,996 | 1,87,739 |
| 40-44 | 1,87,074 | 1,60,169 |
| 45-49 | 1,71,269 | 1,48,992 |
| 50-54 | 1,48,476 | 1,22,147 |
| 55-59 | 1,17,306 | 97,686 |
| 60-64 | 97,420 | 84,738 |
| 65-69 | 65,346 | 59,463 |
| 70-74 | 50,819 | 46,184 |
| 75-79 | 29,080 | 27,280 |
| 80+ | 33,331 | 35,493 |
- Children (0–14)
- 19.0%
- West Bengal 27.1%
- Working age (15–59)
- 69.2%
- West Bengal 64.4%
- Older people (60+)
- 11.8%
- West Bengal 8.5%
- Median age
- 32.8years
- West Bengal 26.9
- Dependency ratio
- 36.5
- children and 65+ per 100 aged 15–64
- West Bengal 48.4
Languages spoken in Kolkata
Share of people by mother tongue, grouped into languages as the Census does. 71 languages recorded. Census 2011 Census 2011, as published. How this is made →
- Bengali 61.5%
- Hindi 22.8%
- Urdu 13.0%
- Odia 0.6%
- Gujarati 0.6%
- Punjabi 0.4%
- English 0.2%
- Nepali 0.2%
- All other languages 0.8%
Largest mother tongues
- Bengali61.4%
- Hindi22.2%
- Urdu13.0%
- Odia0.6%
- Gujarati0.6%
- Punjabi0.4%
- Marwari0.3%
- Bhojpuri0.3%
Housing and amenities in Kolkata
Share of households, Houselisting Census 2011. Census 2011 Census 2011, as published. How this is made →
Basic services
- Electricity for lighting 96.2%
West Bengal 54.7%
- Tap water 88.1%
West Bengal 25.6%
- Water source within premises 72.4%
West Bengal 38.7%
- Toilet within premises 94.9%
West Bengal 59.0%
- Open defecation (no latrine) (Lower is better for this one.) 0.7%
West Bengal 38.5%
- Bathing area within premises 90.1%
West Bengal 36.1%
- Closed drainage 81.3%
West Bengal 9.4%
- Cooking with LPG/PNG 64.7%
West Bengal 18.2%
- Cooking with wood, crop waste or dung (Lower is better for this one.) 5.8%
West Bengal 68.4%
What households own
- Mobile phone 83.0%
West Bengal 47.1%
- Television 84.6%
West Bengal 35.5%
- Scooter or motorcycle 12.2%
West Bengal 8.6%
- Computer or laptop 26.2%
West Bengal 8.4%
- Car, jeep or van 8.9%
West Bengal 2.3%
- Use banking services 83.8%
West Bengal 48.9%
- None of the listed assets (Lower is better for this one.) 3.6%
West Bengal 22.7%
The home itself
- Own their home 56.0%
West Bengal 89.2%
- Rent their home 39.9%
West Bengal 7.4%
- Permanent (pucca) house 93.1%
West Bengal 50.7%
- House in good condition 66.4%
West Bengal 41.0%
- Concrete roof 57.8%
West Bengal 25.7%
- Cement or tiled floor 90.8%
West Bengal 37.6%
- One room or less (Lower is better for this one.) 46.8%
West Bengal 55.7%
West Bengal
What the numbers say
- Kolkata district held 4.9% of West Bengal's population in 2011, 10th of 23 districts.
- Literacy is 86.3%, 10.0 points above the West Bengal average of 76.3%.
- The sex ratio of 908 females per 1,000 males is lower than the state's 950.
- 100.0% of residents lived in towns in 2011, more urban than West Bengal as a whole (31.9%).
- The population grew -1.7% in 2001–11, slower than West Bengal's 13.8%.
- Our 2026 estimate, ≈44.31 lakh, implies growth of about -1% since 2011; it is tied to the official West Bengal projection.
- Its largest town, Kolkata, had 44.97 lakh people in 2011, 100.0% of the district.
Compare with
All districts of West Bengal →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 Kolkata, they will appear on this page, at this address. Census 2027 explained →
Population by religion in Kolkata (Census 2011)
Official figures as published by the Office of the Registrar General. Shown without commentary. Census 2011 Census 2011, as published. How this is made →
| Religion | Persons | Share | West Bengal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hindu | 34,40,290 | 76.5% | 70.5% |
| Muslim | 9,26,414 | 20.6% | 27.0% |
| Christian | 39,758 | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| Sikh | 13,849 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Buddhist | 4,771 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Jain | 21,178 | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Other religions and persuasions | 1,452 | 0.0% | 1.0% |
| Religion not stated | 48,982 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Total | 44,96,694 | 100% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kolkata district in 2026?
What was the population of Kolkata district in Census 2011?
What is the literacy rate and sex ratio of Kolkata?
Which is the largest town in Kolkata district?
How many villages and towns are in Kolkata district?
⤓ Download West Bengal district data (CSV)
Sources and method
- Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (ORGI)
- Census 2011 Table A-2: decadal variation since 1901
- Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections 2011–2036 (July 2020)
- Our estimation method M1 (formulas and checks)
- Census 2011 Table C-14: population in five-year age groups
- Census 2011 Table C-16: population by mother tongue
- Census 2011 Houselisting Table HH-14: households by amenities and assets
- Census 2011 Table C-01: population by religious community
- Local Government Directory (current district boundaries)
Data updated: · Report a correction