Salem
District in Tamil Nadu
Credit Growth (5-Year) in Salem: 112.6%, 16th of 32 districts in Tamil Nadu
MSME Density in Salem: 64.2 per 1,000 people, 9th highest of 38 districts in Tamil Nadu
Women Literacy in Salem: 81.6%, 25th of 38 districts in Tamil Nadu
Health Insurance in Salem: 67.5%, 24th of 38 districts in Tamil Nadu
Salem is a district in Tamil Nadu with a population of 34.8 Lakh spread across 5,268 sq km. Its literacy rate of 72.9% is below the state average of 79.7% and below the national average of 72.9%. The district has a sex ratio of 954 females per 1,000 males, below the state average of 997.
Demographics
Health & Development
Women & Gender
Economy & Infrastructure
Governance
Safety & Crime
Climate Vulnerability
More Indicators
| Indicator | District | State Avg | National Avg | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women 10+ Yr Schooling | 51.3% | 55.5% | 40.3% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) (2019–21) |
| Male Tobacco Use | 23.5% | 20.5% | 40.7% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) (2019–21) |
| Menstrual Hygiene | 98.6% | 98.1% | 78.6% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) (2019–21) |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6) | 916.423 | 944.334 | 925.852 | Census 2011 (2011) |
| Dowry Crimes | 9 | 7.2 | 51.6 | National Crime Records Bureau — SLL Crimes (2022) |
| Average Holding Size | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.5 | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| Marginal Farmers (%) | 75.5% | 76.7% | 59.8% | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| MGNREGA Days per Household | 51.0 | 50.6 | 43.4 | Climate Vulnerability Index (2021) |
| Women's Court Cases | 15.0 | 11.9 | 9.4 | National Judicial Data Grid (2024) |
| Banking | 284 | 143.132 | 81.1 | Town Amenities Census 2011 (2011) |
| Explore all indicators for Salem on the live map → | ||||
More Districts in Tamil Nadu
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Salem district?
Salem has a population of 34.8 Lakh according to the Census 2011, with a density of 661 people per sq km across 5,268 sq km.
What is the literacy rate of Salem?
Salem has a literacy rate of 72.9%, which is below the Tamil Nadu average of 79.7% and below the national average of 72.9%.
How does Salem compare to Tamil Nadu?
Salem has a sex ratio of 954 (below state average of 997) and a literacy rate of 72.9% (below state average of 79.7%).
What data sources are used for Salem?
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
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.