Purnia
District in Bihar
Credit Growth (5-Year) in Purnia: 119.3%, 20th highest of 38 districts in Bihar
MSME Density in Purnia: 24.7 per 1,000 people, 3rd highest of 38 districts in Bihar
Women Literacy in Purnia: 47.5%, 4th lowest of 38 districts in Bihar
Health Insurance in Purnia: 21.7%, 17th highest of 38 districts in Bihar
Purnia is a district in Bihar with a population of 32.6 Lakh (Census 2011) spread across 3,095 sq km. Its literacy rate of 51.1% is below the state average of 61.8% and below the national average of 72.9%. The district has a sex ratio of 921 females per 1,000 males, above the state average of 918.
Demographics
What changed in Purnia, 2019–21 to 2023–24
Got better
Women Internet Use12% → 37%Modern Contraception24% → 46%Women with a Bank Account74% → 90%Got worse
Nothing got worse by 5 points or more.
NFHS-5 → NFHS-6, changes of 5 points or more.
Health & Development
NFHS-6 (2023–24, provisional) · “was”: the 2019–21 value, where it moved 5 points or more
State Avg and National are population-weighted averages, not official NFHS figures. “Was” is NFHS-5 as reprinted on the NFHS-6 sheet, which can differ from the NFHS-5 layer. Small districts can swing on sampling noise.
Women & Gender
Economy & Infrastructure
Governance
Safety & Crime
Climate Vulnerability
More Indicators
| Indicator | District | State Avg | National Avg | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women 10+ Yr Schooling | 19.9% | 33.2% | 46.7% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Male Tobacco Use | 50.5% | 46.0% | 37.0% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Menstrual Hygiene | 59.0% | 63.2% | 81.2% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6) | 954 | 936 | 926 | Census 2011 (2011) |
| Average Holding Size | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.4 | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| Marginal Farmers (%) | 83.0% | 91.0% | 66.3% | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| MGNREGA Days per Household | 38.0 | 42.4 | 43.4 | Climate Vulnerability Index (2021) |
| Women's Court Cases | 11.4 | 11.1 | 9.2 | National Judicial Data Grid (2024) |
| Banking | 46 | 39.4 | 81.1 | Town Amenities Census 2011 (2011) |
| Explore all indicators for Purnia on the live map → | ||||
More Districts in Bihar
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Purnia district?
Purnia has a population of 32.6 Lakh according to the Census 2011, with a density of 1,055 people per sq km across 3,095 sq km.
What is the population of Purnia in 2026?
There is no official count or district estimate after 2011. The latest figure is the Census 2011 count of 32.6 Lakh. Census 2027 enumeration takes place in February 2027, with results expected from 2028.
What is the literacy rate of Purnia?
Purnia has a literacy rate of 51.1% (Census 2011), which is below the Bihar average of 61.8% and below the national average of 72.9%.
How does Purnia compare to Bihar?
Purnia is the 13th most populous of 38 districts in Bihar. Its sex ratio of 921 females per 1,000 males is above the state average of 918 (Census 2011).
How many children in Purnia are stunted or underweight?
In Purnia, 40.2% of children under 5 are stunted, 23.1% wasted and 41.2% underweight (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional). Stunting compares with a Bihar average of 35.6% and an India average of 28.0%.
How many households in Purnia have health insurance?
21.7% of households in Purnia have at least one member covered by a health insurance or financing scheme (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional), up from 12.2% in 2019–21. The Bihar average is 21.1% and India's 58.1%.
What changed in Purnia between NFHS-5 and NFHS-6?
Between NFHS-5 (2019–21) and NFHS-6 (2023–24), Purnia improved most in women internet use (12% to 37%), modern contraception (24% to 46%), women with a bank account (74% to 90%). Changes under 5 percentage points are not counted.
What data sources are used for Purnia?
Data comes from Census 2011, NFHS-5 (2019–21), NFHS-6 (2023–24), NJDG (2024), Udyam/MSME (2026), NCRB SLL (2022), CVI (2021), Ag Census 2015–16, RBI BSR (2026), and other official sources.
Data Sources
Each indicator keeps its own source and vintage. How they are crosswalked onto one district geography is on the methodology page, with the per-source limits on the caveats page.