Chennai

District in Tamil Nadu

Population
46.5 Lakh
State: 6.9 Crore
Area
427 km²
Literacy Rate
81.3%
State: 71.5%
Sex Ratio
989
State: 997
Density
10,879 /km²
State: 528 /km²

Chennai is a district in Tamil Nadu with a population of 46.5 Lakh spread across 427 sq km. Its literacy rate of 81.3% is above the state average of 71.5% and above the national average of 63.0%. The district has a sex ratio of 989 females per 1,000 males, below the state average of 997.


Demographics

IndicatorDistrictState AvgNational
Population Density10,879 /km²528 /km²379 /km²
Sex Ratio989997943
Literacy Rate81.3%71.5%63.0%
SC Population16.8%20.2%16.6%
ST Population0.2%1.1%8.7%
Worker Participation39.1%45.8%39.8%

Health & Development

IndicatorDistrictState AvgNational
Child Stunting20.4%25.7%33.2%
Child Wasting18.3%14.6%18.4%
Underweight Children21.9%22.1%29.1%
Child Anaemia55.3%58.2%65.2%
Women Anaemia50.3%54.2%55.3%
Full Vaccination96.6%89.2%77.4%
Institutional Delivery100.0%99.6%88.5%
Improved Sanitation90.4%71.6%72.4%
Clean Cooking Fuel97.7%79.4%54.6%
Health Insurance58.2%68.0%41.3%
Safe Drinking Water98.7%98.4%93.6%
Electricity Access99.9%99.3%97.0%

Women & Gender

IndicatorDistrictState AvgNational
Child Marriage1.9%12.8%20.6%
Teen Pregnancy3.0%6.4%6.6%
Female Literacy Gap6.0%12.2%14.1%
Female Work Gap39.2%25.9%23.9%

Economy & Infrastructure

IndicatorDistrictState AvgNational
MSME Density97.2 per 1k pop58.4 per 1k pop42.6 per 1k pop
Total MSMEs4.5 Lakh1.1 Lakh61.7k
Manufacturing Share18.3%27.5%24.9%

Governance

IndicatorDistrictState AvgNational
Pending Cases3136 per lakh2431 per lakh3585 per lakh
Cases Delayed (%)41.0%48.1%35.5%
Monthly Disposal Ratio1.141.020.81

Safety & Crime

IndicatorDistrictState AvgNational
SC/ST Atrocities17.0 per lakh4.5 per lakh17.4 per lakh
Domestic Violence0.0 per lakh5.0 per lakh12.6 per lakh
Child Abuse (POCSO)310.0 per lakh131.6 per lakh89.0 per lakh
Cyber Crime103.0 per lakh45.6 per lakh55.7 per lakh

More Indicators

IndicatorDistrictState AvgNational AvgSource
Women 10+ Yr Schooling76.7%55.5%40.3%National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) (2019–21)
Male Tobacco Use8.9%20.5%40.7%National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) (2019–21)
Menstrual Hygiene100.0%98.1%78.6%National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) (2019–21)
Child Sex Ratio (0–6)950.263944.334925.852Census 2011 (2011)
Dowry Crimes87.251.6National Crime Records Bureau — SLL Crimes (2022)
Average Holding Size0.81.5Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16)
Marginal Farmers (%)76.7%59.8%Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16)
MGNREGA Days per Household50.643.4Climate Vulnerability Index (2021)
Women's Court Cases10.2%11.9%9.4%National Judicial Data Grid (2024)
Banking998143.13281.1Town Amenities Census 2011 (2011)
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Chennai district?

Chennai has a population of 46.5 Lakh according to the Census 2011, with a density of 10,879 people per sq km across 427 sq km.

What is the literacy rate of Chennai?

Chennai has a literacy rate of 81.3%, which is above the Tamil Nadu average of 71.5% and above the national average of 63.0%.

How does Chennai compare to Tamil Nadu?

Chennai has a sex ratio of 989 (below state average of 997) and a literacy rate of 81.3% (above state average of 71.5%).

What data sources are used for Chennai?

Data comes from Census 2011, NFHS-5 (2019-21), NJDG (2024), Udyam/MSME (2026), NCRB SLL (2022), CVI (2021), Ag Census 2015-16, RBI BSR (2026), and other official sources.

Data Sources

Census 2011NFHS-5 (2019–21)NJDG (2024)CVI (2021)Ag Census 2015–16Udyam/MSME (2026)NCRB SLL (2022)eRaktKosh (2024)GOBARdhan (2026)Town Amenities (2011)RBI BSR (2026)