Kandhamal
District in Odisha
Credit Growth (5-Year) in Kandhamal: 126.0%, 19th highest of 30 districts in Odisha
MSME Density in Kandhamal: 21.9 per 1,000 people, 4th lowest of 30 districts in Odisha
Women Literacy in Kandhamal: 68.5%, 19th highest of 30 districts in Odisha
Health Insurance in Kandhamal: 88.4%, 2nd highest of 30 districts in Odisha
Kandhamal is a district in Odisha with a population of 7.3 Lakh (Census 2011) spread across 7,746 sq km. Its literacy rate of 64.1% is below the state average of 72.9% and below the national average of 72.9%. The district has a sex ratio of 1,037 females per 1,000 males, above the state average of 979.
Demographics
What changed in Kandhamal, 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 | 35.5% | 43.9% | 46.7% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Male Tobacco Use | 55.5% | 48.5% | 37.0% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Menstrual Hygiene | 70.2% | 89.6% | 81.2% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6) | 962 | 943 | 926 | Census 2011 (2011) |
| Average Holding Size | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.4 | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| Marginal Farmers (%) | 76.6% | 75.8% | 66.3% | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| MGNREGA Days per Household | 49.3 | 45.1 | 43.4 | Climate Vulnerability Index (2021) |
| Women's Court Cases | 3.3 | 4.3 | 9.2 | National Judicial Data Grid (2024) |
| Banking | 18 | 46.7 | 81.1 | Town Amenities Census 2011 (2011) |
| Explore all indicators for Kandhamal on the live map → | ||||
More Districts in Odisha
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Kandhamal district?
Kandhamal has a population of 7.3 Lakh according to the Census 2011, with a density of 95 people per sq km across 7,746 sq km.
What is the population of Kandhamal in 2026?
There is no official count or district estimate after 2011. The latest figure is the Census 2011 count of 7.3 Lakh. Census 2027 enumeration takes place in February 2027, with results expected from 2028.
What is the literacy rate of Kandhamal?
Kandhamal has a literacy rate of 64.1% (Census 2011), which is below the Odisha average of 72.9% and below the national average of 72.9%.
How does Kandhamal compare to Odisha?
Kandhamal is the 23rd most populous of 30 districts in Odisha. Its sex ratio of 1,037 females per 1,000 males is above the state average of 979 (Census 2011).
How many children in Kandhamal are stunted or underweight?
In Kandhamal, 34.8% of children under 5 are stunted, 15.8% wasted and 33.8% underweight (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional). Stunting compares with a Odisha average of 25.4% and an India average of 28.0%.
How many households in Kandhamal have health insurance?
88.4% of households in Kandhamal have at least one member covered by a health insurance or financing scheme (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional), up from 54.5% in 2019–21. The Odisha average is 82.6% and India's 58.1%.
What changed in Kandhamal between NFHS-5 and NFHS-6?
Between NFHS-5 (2019–21) and NFHS-6 (2023–24), Kandhamal improved most in health insurance (55% to 88%), women internet use (20% to 43%), women owning a mobile phone (42% to 55%), and got worse in 4+ antenatal visits (81% to 65%), modern contraception (50% to 36%), institutional births (94% to 84%). Changes under 5 percentage points are not counted.
What data sources are used for Kandhamal?
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.