Meghalaya
District-Level Data & Statistics
- PopulationCensus 2011, the latest complete count; Census 2027 results are expected from 2028
- 29.7 Lakh
- 0.2% of India
- Projected 2026: 34.4 LakhOfficial projection for 1 March 2026, not a count: Technical Group on Population Projections, National Commission on Population, MoHFW (2020)
- Districts
- 12
- Avg 2.5 Lakh each
- AreaDensity uses the Census 2011 population
- 22,429 km²
- 132 people /km²
- Literacy RateCensus 2011: literates as a share of people aged 7 and above
- 74.4%
- India: 72.9%
- Sex RatioCensus 2011: females per 1,000 males
- 989
- India: 943
- RankBy Census 2011 population
- 24th
- of 36 by population
Meghalaya is India's 24th most populous state with a population of 29.7 Lakh (Census 2011) spread across 12 districts covering 22,429 sq km. The state's literacy rate stands at 74.4%, above the national average of 72.9%. With a sex ratio of 989 females per 1,000 males, it is above the national figure of 943.
Credit Growth (5-Year) in Meghalaya · district average 95.3%, 25th of 36 states
MSME Density in Meghalaya · population-weighted average 19.5 per 1,000 people, 36th of 36 states
Women Literacy in Meghalaya · population-weighted average 88.2%, 8th of 36 states
Health Insurance in Meghalaya · population-weighted average 75.5%, 10th of 34 states
Demographics
What changed in Meghalaya, 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
Meghalaya districts ranked
Population (Census 2011)
- 1East Khasi Hills 8.3 Lakh
- 2West Garo Hills 5 Lakh
- 3West Jaintia Hills 2.7 Lakh
- 4Ri-bhoi 2.6 Lakh
- 5East Garo Hills 1.6 Lakh
- 1South West Khasi Hills 95.7k
- 2East Jaintia Hills 1.2 Lakh
- 3Eastern West Khasi Hills 1.3 Lakh
- 4South Garo Hills 1.4 Lakh
- 5South West Garo Hills 1.5 Lakh
Population Density (per km²)
- 1East Khasi Hills 305
- 2West Garo Hills 194
- 3South West Garo Hills 182
- 4West Jaintia Hills 157
- 5North Garo Hills 129
Literacy Rate
- 1East Khasi Hills 84.2%
- 2Eastern West Khasi Hills 80.2%
- 3North Garo Hills 77.7%
- 4West Khasi Hills 77.7%
- 5Ri-bhoi 75.7%
- 1East Jaintia Hills 58.3%
- 2West Jaintia Hills 63.1%
- 3West Garo Hills 67.5%
- 4South West Garo Hills 67.8%
- 5East Garo Hills 70.2%
Sex Ratio (females per 1,000 males)
- 1West Jaintia Hills 1,015
- 2East Khasi Hills 1,011
- 3East Jaintia Hills 1,008
- 4Eastern West Khasi Hills 991
- 5West Garo Hills 987
- 1South Garo Hills 945
- 2Ri-bhoi 953
- 3East Garo Hills 965
- 4South West Khasi Hills 969
- 5West Khasi Hills 976
Underweight Children
- 1South Garo Hills 36.9%
- 2West Garo Hills 31.9%
- 3East Garo Hills 29.8%
- 4South West Garo Hills 29.6%
- 5North Garo Hills 28.6%
- 1Ri-bhoi 18.5%
- 2South West Khasi Hills 18.8%
- 3East Jaintia Hills 19.5%
- 4West Jaintia Hills 22.4%
- 5West Khasi Hills 23.3%
Electricity Access
- 1South West Garo Hills 99.7%
- 2North Garo Hills 99.4%
- 3South Garo Hills 99.4%
- 4West Garo Hills 99.3%
- 5East Khasi Hills 96.9%
- 1East Jaintia Hills 87.4%
- 2West Khasi Hills 90.4%
- 3Ri-bhoi 92.7%
- 4West Jaintia Hills 94.3%
- 5East Garo Hills 94.8%
Small Business Density
- 1East Jaintia Hills 32.0
- 2West Garo Hills 21.0
- 3East Khasi Hills 20.9
- 4West Jaintia Hills 19.6
- 5Ri-bhoi 19.2
- 1Eastern West Khasi Hills 8.2
- 2North Garo Hills 15.1
- 3West Khasi Hills 16.7
- 4South West Garo Hills 17.1
- 5South Garo Hills 17.6
All Districts
12 districts| District | Population (2011) | Literacy % | Sex Ratio | Density /km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Khasi Hills | 8,25,922 | 84.2% | 1,011 | 305 |
| West Garo Hills | 4,96,586 | 67.5% | 987 | 194 |
| West Jaintia Hills | 2,72,185 | 63.1% | 1,015 | 157 |
| Ri-bhoi | 2,58,840 | 75.7% | 953 | 113 |
| East Garo Hills | 1,61,926 | 70.2% | 965 | 107 |
| West Khasi Hills | 1,56,330 | 77.7% | 976 | 59 |
| North Garo Hills | 1,55,991 | 77.7% | 979 | 129 |
| South West Garo Hills | 1,46,705 | 67.8% | 977 | 182 |
| South Garo Hills | 1,42,334 | 71.7% | 945 | 81 |
| Eastern West Khasi Hills | 1,31,451 | 80.2% | 991 | 119 |
| East Jaintia Hills | 1,22,939 | 58.3% | 1,008 | 63 |
| South West Khasi Hills | 95,680 | 75.0% | 969 | 75 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Meghalaya in crore?
Meghalaya has a population of 29.7 Lakh (29,66,889) according to the Census 2011, making it India's 24th most populous state, across 12 districts.
What is the total area of Meghalaya in sq km?
Meghalaya covers a total area of 22,429 sq km, divided into 12 districts.
What is the literacy rate of Meghalaya?
Meghalaya's literacy rate is 74.4% (Census 2011), above the national average of 72.9%. East Khasi Hills has the highest literacy rate (84.2%) and East Jaintia Hills the lowest (58.3%). Female literacy is lowest in East Jaintia Hills (59.2%).
What is the population density of Meghalaya?
Meghalaya has 132 people per sq km, against a national average of 366. East Khasi Hills has the highest population density and West Khasi Hills the lowest.
What is the sex ratio of Meghalaya?
Meghalaya has a sex ratio of 989 females per 1,000 males, above the national average of 943. West Jaintia Hills has the highest sex ratio (1,015) and South Garo Hills the lowest (945).
Which district of Meghalaya has the highest and lowest population?
East Khasi Hills has the highest population in Meghalaya (8.3 Lakh) and South West Khasi Hills the lowest (95.7k), per the Census 2011.
Which is the largest district of Meghalaya by area?
East Khasi Hills is the largest district of Meghalaya by area, and South West Garo Hills the smallest.
How many children in Meghalaya are stunted or underweight?
In Meghalaya, 35.1% of children under 5 are stunted, 15.2% wasted and 26.5% underweight (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional). Stunting compares with an India average of 28.0%.
How many households in Meghalaya have health insurance?
75.5% of households in Meghalaya 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 Meghalaya between NFHS-5 and NFHS-6?
Between NFHS-5 (2019–21) and NFHS-6 (2023–24), Meghalaya improved most in women internet use (31% to 57%), women owning a mobile phone (64% to 79%), women with a bank account (69% to 81%), and got worse in women tobacco use (28% to 36%), pre-school attendance (26% to 21%). Changes under 5 percentage points are not counted.
Is there newer population data for Meghalaya 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 Meghalaya on 1 March 2026 is 34.4 Lakh (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.