Tirunelveli
District in Tamil Nadu
Credit Growth (5-Year) in Tirunelveli: 40.6%, 5th lowest of 32 districts in Tamil Nadu
MSME Density in Tirunelveli: 57.8 per 1,000 people, 17th highest of 38 districts in Tamil Nadu
Women Literacy in Tirunelveli: 85.6%, 11th highest of 32 districts in Tamil Nadu
Health Insurance in Tirunelveli: 53.0%, 5th lowest of 38 districts in Tamil Nadu
Tirunelveli is a district in Tamil Nadu with a population of 16.9 Lakh (Census 2011, counted on today's district boundary) spread across 3,989 sq km. Its literacy rate of 86.7% is above the state average of 79.7% and above the national average of 72.9%. The district has a sex ratio of 1,028 females per 1,000 males, above the state average of 997. Some values for this district are estimates: area-proportional, or copied from the district it was carved from.
Demographics
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. No “was”: the district boundary changed after 2019–21.
Women & Gender
Economy & Infrastructure
Governance
Safety & Crime
Climate Vulnerability
More Indicators
| Indicator | District | State Avg | National Avg | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women 10+ Yr Schooling | 66.2% | 63.8% | 46.7% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Male Tobacco Use | 16.9% | 17.8% | 37.0% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Menstrual Hygiene | 95.5% | 97.6% | 81.2% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6) | 953 | 944 | 926 | Census 2011 (2011) |
| Average Holding Size | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.4 | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| Marginal Farmers (%) | 84.1% | 74.6% | 66.3% | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| MGNREGA Days per Household | 52.1 | 50.4 | 43.4 | Climate Vulnerability Index (2021) |
| Women's Court Cases | 8.0 | 12.0 | 9.2 | National Judicial Data Grid (2024) |
| Banking ~ | 83 | 143 | 81.1 | Town Amenities Census 2011 (2011) |
| Explore all indicators for Tirunelveli on the live map → | ||||
~ Values marked with ~ are area-proportional estimates or inherited from a parent district.
More Districts in Tamil Nadu
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Tirunelveli district?
Tirunelveli has a population of 16.9 Lakh according to the Census 2011, counted on the district's present boundary, with a density of 424 people per sq km across 3,989 sq km.
What is the population of Tirunelveli in 2026?
There is no official count or district estimate after 2011. The latest figure is the Census 2011 count of 16.9 Lakh. Census 2027 enumeration takes place in February 2027, with results expected from 2028.
What is the literacy rate of Tirunelveli?
Tirunelveli has a literacy rate of 86.7% (Census 2011), which is above the Tamil Nadu average of 79.7% and above the national average of 72.9%.
How does Tirunelveli compare to Tamil Nadu?
Tirunelveli is the 20th most populous of 38 districts in Tamil Nadu. Its sex ratio of 1,028 females per 1,000 males is above the state average of 997 (Census 2011).
How many children in Tirunelveli are stunted or underweight?
In Tirunelveli, 21.3% of children under 5 are stunted, 15.2% wasted and 22.8% underweight (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional). Stunting compares with a Tamil Nadu average of 20.7% and an India average of 28.0%.
How many households in Tirunelveli have health insurance?
53.0% of households in Tirunelveli have at least one member covered by a health insurance or financing scheme (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional). The Tamil Nadu average is 61.9% and India's 58.1%.
What data sources are used for Tirunelveli?
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.