Karnataka
District-Level Data & Statistics
- PopulationCensus 2011, the latest complete count; Census 2027 results are expected from 2028
- 6.1 Crore
- 5.1% of India
- Projected 2026: 6.9 CroreOfficial projection for 1 March 2026, not a count: Technical Group on Population Projections, National Commission on Population, MoHFW (2020)
- Districts
- 31
- Avg 19.7 Lakh each
- AreaDensity uses the Census 2011 population
- 1,91,791 km²
- 319 people /km²
- Literacy RateCensus 2011: literates as a share of people aged 7 and above
- 75.4%
- India: 72.9%
- Sex RatioCensus 2011: females per 1,000 males
- 973
- India: 943
- RankBy Census 2011 population
- 8th
- of 36 by population
Karnataka is India's 8th most populous state with a population of 6.1 Crore (Census 2011) spread across 31 districts covering 1,91,791 sq km. The state's literacy rate stands at 75.4%, above the national average of 72.9%. With a sex ratio of 973 females per 1,000 males, it is above the national figure of 943.
Credit Growth (5-Year) in Karnataka · district average 105.6%, 16th of 36 states
All 29 on the map →MSME Density in Karnataka · population-weighted average 43.2 per 1,000 people, 20th of 36 states
Women Literacy in Karnataka · population-weighted average 77.1%, 22nd of 36 states
All 30 on the map →Health Insurance in Karnataka · population-weighted average 63.7%, 16th of 34 states
All 30 on the map →Demographics
What changed in Karnataka, 2019–21 to 2023–24
NFHS-5 → NFHS-6, changes of 5 points or more. Same districts in both rounds.
Health & Development
NFHS-6 (2023–24, provisional)
State and National are population-weighted averages of districts, not official NFHS figures.
Women & Gender
Economy & Infrastructure
Governance
Safety & Crime
Climate Vulnerability
Karnataka districts ranked
Population (Census 2011)
- 1Bengaluru (urban) 96.2 Lakh
- 2Belagavi 47.8 Lakh
- 3Mysuru 30 Lakh
- 4Tumakuru 26.8 Lakh
- 5Kalaburagi 25.7 Lakh
- 1Kodagu 5.5 Lakh
- 2Bengaluru (rural) 9.9 Lakh
- 3Chamarajanagara 10.2 Lakh
- 4Gadag 10.6 Lakh
- 5Ramanagara 10.8 Lakh
Population Density (per km²)
- 1Bengaluru (urban) 4,399
- 2Mysuru 475
- 3Dharwad 441
- 4Bengaluru (rural) 433
- 5Dakshina Kannada 432
- 1Kodagu 135
- 2Uttara Kannada 142
- 3Chikkamagaluru 159
- 4Chamarajanagara 180
- 5Chitradurga 199
Literacy Rate
- 1Dakshina Kannada 88.6%
- 2Bengaluru (urban) 87.7%
- 3Udupi 86.2%
- 4Uttara Kannada 84.1%
- 5Kodagu 82.6%
- 1Yadgir 51.8%
- 2Raichur 59.6%
- 3Chamarajanagara 61.4%
- 4Kalaburagi 64.9%
- 5Ballari 65.1%
Sex Ratio (females per 1,000 males)
- 1Udupi 1,094
- 2Dakshina Kannada 1,020
- 3Kodagu 1,019
- 4Hassan 1,010
- 5Chikkamagaluru 1,008
- 1Bengaluru (urban) 916
- 2Bengaluru (rural) 946
- 3Haveri 950
- 4Bidar 956
- 5Vijayapura 960
Underweight Children
- 1Raichur 49.5%
- 2Gadag 46.5%
- 3Vijayapura 45.3%
- 4Kalaburagi 44.6%
- 5Koppal 44.1%
- 1Bengaluru (urban) 15.5%
- 2Tumakuru 18.5%
- 3Udupi 18.7%
- 4Bengaluru (rural) 18.7%
- 5Chikkamagaluru 19.5%
Electricity Access
- 1Ramanagara 100.0%
- 2Bengaluru (rural) 99.9%
- 3Raichur 99.9%
- 4Gadag 99.9%
- 5Kolara 99.9%
- 1Kodagu 98.4%
- 2Chikkamagaluru 99.1%
- 3Bidar 99.2%
- 4Koppal 99.4%
- 5Chamarajanagara 99.4%
Small Business Density
- 1Bengaluru (rural) 120.2
- 2Bengaluru (urban) 69.0
- 3Dharwad 51.0
- 4Udupi 50.0
- 5Mysuru 49.2
- 1Yadgir 24.0
- 2Raichur 25.2
- 3Kalaburagi 25.5
- 4Koppal 27.0
- 5Chamarajanagara 27.7
All Districts
31 districts| District | Population (2011) | Literacy % | Sex Ratio | Density /km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru (urban) | 96,21,551 | 87.7% | 916 | 4,399 |
| Belagavi | 47,79,661 | 73.5% | 973 | 364 |
| Mysuru | 30,01,127 | 72.8% | 985 | 475 |
| Tumakuru | 26,78,980 | 75.1% | 984 | 254 |
| Kalaburagi | 25,66,326 | 64.9% | 971 | 240 |
| Vijayapura | 21,77,331 | 67.1% | 960 | 213 |
| Dakshina Kannada | 20,89,649 | 88.6% | 1,020 | 432 |
| Raichur | 19,28,812 | 59.6% | 1,000 | 233 |
| Bagalkot | 18,89,752 | 68.8% | 989 | 294 |
| Dharwad | 18,47,023 | 80.0% | 971 | 441 |
| Mandya | 18,05,769 | 70.4% | 995 | 365 |
| Hassan | 17,76,421 | 76.1% | 1,010 | 261 |
| Shivamogga | 17,52,753 | 80.4% | 998 | 209 |
| Bidar | 17,03,300 | 70.5% | 956 | 322 |
| Chitradurga | 16,59,456 | 73.7% | 974 | 199 |
| Davanagere | 16,43,494 | 77.1% | 975 | 371 |
| Haveri | 15,97,668 | 77.4% | 950 | 336 |
| Kolara | 15,36,401 | 74.4% | 979 | 388 |
| Vijayanagara | 14,54,352 | 69.6% | 978 | 261 |
| Uttara Kannada | 14,37,169 | 84.1% | 979 | 142 |
| Koppal | 13,89,920 | 68.1% | 986 | 254 |
| Ballari | 13,00,246 | 65.1% | 982 | 311 |
| Chikkaballapura | 12,55,104 | 69.8% | 972 | 298 |
| Udupi | 11,77,361 | 86.2% | 1,094 | 331 |
| Yadgir | 11,74,271 | 51.8% | 989 | 228 |
| Chikkamagaluru | 11,37,961 | 79.2% | 1,008 | 159 |
| Ramanagara | 10,82,636 | 69.2% | 976 | 308 |
| Gadag | 10,64,570 | 75.1% | 982 | 233 |
| Chamarajanagara | 10,20,791 | 61.4% | 993 | 180 |
| Bengaluru (rural) | 9,90,923 | 77.9% | 946 | 433 |
| Kodagu | 5,54,519 | 82.6% | 1,019 | 135 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Karnataka in crore?
Karnataka has a population of 6.1 Crore (6,10,95,297) according to the Census 2011, making it India's 8th most populous state, across 31 districts.
What is the total area of Karnataka in sq km?
Karnataka covers a total area of 1,91,791 sq km, divided into 31 districts.
What is the literacy rate of Karnataka?
Karnataka's literacy rate is 75.4% (Census 2011), above the national average of 72.9%. Dakshina Kannada has the highest literacy rate (88.6%) and Yadgir the lowest (51.8%). Female literacy is lowest in Yadgir (41.4%).
What is the population density of Karnataka?
Karnataka has 319 people per sq km, against a national average of 366. Bengaluru (urban) has the highest population density and Kodagu the lowest.
What is the sex ratio of Karnataka?
Karnataka has a sex ratio of 973 females per 1,000 males, above the national average of 943. Udupi has the highest sex ratio (1,094) and Bengaluru (urban) the lowest (916).
Which district of Karnataka has the highest and lowest population?
Bengaluru (urban) has the highest population in Karnataka (96.2 Lakh) and Kodagu the lowest (5.5 Lakh), per the Census 2011.
Which is the largest district of Karnataka by area?
Belagavi is the largest district of Karnataka by area, and Bengaluru (urban) the smallest.
How many children in Karnataka are stunted or underweight?
In Karnataka, 26.3% of children under 5 are stunted, 18.7% wasted and 27.6% underweight (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional). Stunting compares with an India average of 28.0%.
How many households in Karnataka have health insurance?
63.7% of households in Karnataka have at least one member covered by a health insurance or financing scheme (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional). The India average is 58.1%.
What changed in Karnataka between NFHS-5 and NFHS-6?
Between NFHS-5 (2019–21) and NFHS-6 (2023–24), Karnataka improved most in health insurance (33% to 65%), women internet use (33% to 52%), 4+ antenatal visits (73% to 81%), and got worse in male diabetes (15% to 25%), women overweight or obese (29% to 37%), women diabetes (14% to 21%). Changes under 5 percentage points are not counted.
Is there newer population data for Karnataka than the Census 2011?
Not yet. The Census 2011 is the latest complete count. Census 2027 is under way: the population count uses a reference date of 1 March 2027, with provisional results expected by late 2028. Until then, the official projection for Karnataka on 1 March 2026 is 6.9 Crore (Technical Group on Population Projections, National Commission on Population, MoHFW, 2020); it is a projection, not a count. Census 2027 timeline
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.