Shimla
District in Himachal Pradesh
Credit Growth (5-Year) in Shimla: 88.4%, 3rd lowest of 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh
MSME Density in Shimla: 45.8 per 1,000 people, 4th highest of 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh
Women Literacy in Shimla: 93.4%, 4th highest of 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh
Health Insurance in Shimla: 56.7%, 8th highest of 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh
Shimla is a district in Himachal Pradesh with a population of 7.9 Lakh (Census 2011, counted on today's district boundary) spread across 5,007 sq km. Its literacy rate of 84.0% is above the state average of 82.8% and above the national average of 72.9%. The district has a sex ratio of 915 females per 1,000 males, below the state average of 972.
Demographics
What changed in Shimla, 2019–21 to 2023–24
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 | 78.3% | 71.9% | 46.7% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Male Tobacco Use | 24.7% | 29.0% | 37.0% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Menstrual Hygiene | 97.1% | 94.9% | 81.2% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6) | 923 | 926 | 926 | Census 2011 (2011) |
| Average Holding Size | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.4 | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| Marginal Farmers (%) | 69.5% | 69.9% | 66.3% | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| MGNREGA Days per Household | 41.3 | 47.5 | 43.4 | Climate Vulnerability Index (2021) |
| Women's Court Cases | 3.1 | 6.4 | 9.2 | National Judicial Data Grid (2024) |
| Banking | 111 | 46.1 | 81.1 | Town Amenities Census 2011 (2011) |
| Explore all indicators for Shimla on the live map → | ||||
More Districts in Himachal Pradesh
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Shimla district?
Shimla has a population of 7.9 Lakh according to the Census 2011, counted on the district's present boundary, with a density of 159 people per sq km across 5,007 sq km.
What is the population of Shimla in 2026?
There is no official count or district estimate after 2011. The latest figure is the Census 2011 count of 7.9 Lakh. Census 2027 enumeration takes place in February 2027, with results expected from 2028.
What is the literacy rate of Shimla?
Shimla has a literacy rate of 84.0% (Census 2011), which is above the Himachal Pradesh average of 82.8% and above the national average of 72.9%.
How does Shimla compare to Himachal Pradesh?
Shimla is the 3rd most populous of 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh. Its sex ratio of 915 females per 1,000 males is below the state average of 972 (Census 2011).
How many children in Shimla are stunted or underweight?
In Shimla, 18.3% of children under 5 are stunted, 9.3% wasted and 15.7% underweight (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional). Stunting compares with a Himachal Pradesh average of 20.2% and an India average of 28.0%.
How many households in Shimla have health insurance?
56.7% of households in Shimla have at least one member covered by a health insurance or financing scheme (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional), up from 40.9% in 2019–21. The Himachal Pradesh average is 61.0% and India's 58.1%.
What changed in Shimla between NFHS-5 and NFHS-6?
Between NFHS-5 (2019–21) and NFHS-6 (2023–24), Shimla improved most in women internet use (60% to 85%), health insurance (41% to 57%), male alcohol use (34% to 25%), and got worse in modern contraception (76% to 59%), women overweight or obese (28% to 41%), drinking water (97% to 85%). Changes under 5 percentage points are not counted.
What data sources are used for Shimla?
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.