Birbhum
District in West Bengal
Credit Growth (5-Year) in Birbhum: 96.8%, 13th highest of 23 districts in West Bengal
MSME Density in Birbhum: 20.7 per 1,000 people, 18th highest of 23 districts in West Bengal
Women Literacy in Birbhum: 70.8%, 5th lowest of 20 districts in West Bengal
Health Insurance in Birbhum: 90.7%, 6th highest of 23 districts in West Bengal
Birbhum is a district in West Bengal with a population of 35 Lakh (Census 2011) spread across 4,374 sq km. Its literacy rate of 70.7% is below the state average of 76.2% and below the national average of 72.9%. The district has a sex ratio of 956 females per 1,000 males, above the state average of 950.
Demographics
What changed in Birbhum, 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 | 31.2% | 40.1% | 46.7% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Male Tobacco Use | 46.4% | 46.4% | 37.0% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Menstrual Hygiene | 86.5% | 89.5% | 81.2% | National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) (2023–24) |
| Child Sex Ratio (0–6) | 959 | 953 | 926 | Census 2011 (2011) |
| Average Holding Size | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.4 | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| Marginal Farmers (%) | 73.1% | 83.6% | 66.3% | Agricultural Census 2015-16 (2015–16) |
| MGNREGA Days per Household | 42.6 | 52.4 | 43.4 | Climate Vulnerability Index (2021) |
| Women's Court Cases | 7.6 | 11.3 | 9.2 | National Judicial Data Grid (2024) |
| Banking | 84 | 194 | 81.1 | Town Amenities Census 2011 (2011) |
| Explore all indicators for Birbhum on the live map → | ||||
More Districts in West Bengal
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Birbhum district?
Birbhum has a population of 35 Lakh according to the Census 2011, with a density of 801 people per sq km across 4,374 sq km.
What is the population of Birbhum in 2026?
There is no official count or district estimate after 2011. The latest figure is the Census 2011 count of 35 Lakh. Census 2027 enumeration takes place in February 2027, with results expected from 2028.
What is the literacy rate of Birbhum?
Birbhum has a literacy rate of 70.7% (Census 2011), which is below the West Bengal average of 76.2% and below the national average of 72.9%.
How does Birbhum compare to West Bengal?
Birbhum is the 13th most populous of 23 districts in West Bengal. Its sex ratio of 956 females per 1,000 males is above the state average of 950 (Census 2011).
How many children in Birbhum are stunted or underweight?
In Birbhum, 31.5% of children under 5 are stunted, 29.4% wasted and 35.4% underweight (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional). Stunting compares with a West Bengal average of 21.2% and an India average of 28.0%.
How many households in Birbhum have health insurance?
90.7% of households in Birbhum have at least one member covered by a health insurance or financing scheme (NFHS-6, 2023–24, provisional), up from 43.9% in 2019–21. The West Bengal average is 88.2% and India's 58.1%.
What changed in Birbhum between NFHS-5 and NFHS-6?
Between NFHS-5 (2019–21) and NFHS-6 (2023–24), Birbhum improved most in health insurance (44% to 91%), women internet use (18% to 50%), women with a bank account (78% to 96%), and got worse in 4+ antenatal visits (78% to 57%), women overweight or obese (13% to 24%), iodized salt (93% to 87%). Changes under 5 percentage points are not counted.
What data sources are used for Birbhum?
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.