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State · Census 2011

Karnataka population.
Census 2011.

Karnataka recorded 6,10,95,297 people in the final, revised Census 2011 population table. That is 5.05% of India’s census population. Explore the counts and their context below.

Compare
6,10,95,297
Population
6.11 crore
319
Population density
People per square kilometre
973
Sex ratio
Females per 1,000 males
2011
Census reference
Final / revised published totals

Households, literacy, children and work

The Primary Census Abstract adds a detailed view of the same Census 2011 geography. Literacy rates use people aged 7 and above; work participation uses all residents.

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Indicator · Census 2011TotalRuralUrban
Populationpeople61,095,29737,469,33523,625,962
Households recorded in the PCAhouseholds13,357,0277,946,6575,410,370
Children aged 0–6people aged 0–67,161,0334,517,6452,643,388
Children aged 0–6 as a share of population%11.72%12.06%11.19%
Sex ratiofemales per 1,000 males973979963
Child sex ratiogirls per 1,000 boys aged 0–6948950946
Literate populationliterate people aged 7+40,647,32222,649,17617,998,146
Literacy rate%75.36%68.73%85.78%
Male literacy rate%82.47%77.61%90.04%
Female literacy rate%68.08%59.71%81.36%
Scheduled Castes populationpeople10,474,9927,495,7632,979,229
Scheduled Tribes populationpeople4,248,9873,429,791819,196
Total workersCensus workers27,872,59718,502,2309,370,367
Work participation rate%45.62%49.38%39.66%
Main workersworked at least 6 months23,397,18115,060,9058,336,276
Marginal workersworked less than 6 months4,475,4163,441,3251,034,091
Non-workerspeople33,222,70018,967,10514,255,595

Census of India · original Primary Census Abstract
Sheet1! rows 1751, 1752, 1753; original PCA field codes are documented in field-definitions.json.
Source access notes and archived workbooks

Worker categories

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Economic activityMain workersMarginal workers
Cultivators6,038,309542,340
Agricultural labourers5,119,9212,036,042
Household industry workers695,841217,386
Other workers11,543,1101,679,648
Definitions, calculation methods and source access

Literacy uses people aged 7 and above; work participation uses all residents. Main workers worked at least six months. Households are the PCA household count, not houses. Rates with zero denominators are unavailable. Names and boundaries belong to Census 2011.

Read the full definitions and research guidance

Download the field definitions

30 historical districts in this state/UT have detailed profiles.

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Compare these indicators across statesDownload the detailed table

Religious composition · Census 2011

Reported religious communities within the same historical state/UT boundary. These are 2011 counts and shares.

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Published categoryPeopleShare of this state / UT
Hindu51,317,47284%
Muslim7,893,06512.92%
Christian1,142,6471.87%
Sikh28,7730.05%
Buddhist95,7100.16%
Jain440,2800.72%
Other religions and persuasions11,2630.02%
Religion not stated166,0870.27%

Religion not stated is retained separately; it is not a count of atheists. Rounded shares may not sum exactly to 100%. Aggregate place composition does not identify the religion of a person.

Census C-01 · original religious-community table. C01!H95:AH95; Karnataka, Total

Compare the 35 historical state / UT profiles

The census snapshot

This profile uses final, revised Census 2011 population totals reproduced in the Ministry of Home Affairs’ July 2014 table. These are historical counts. The reference year and the geographic boundaries remain 2011.

Karnataka Census 2011 key figures
Total population6,10,95,297
Published male column¹3,09,66,657
Female population3,01,28,640
Population density319 people / km²
Sex ratio973 females / 1,000 males
Census code29
Population rank9 of 35 census-era states / UTs
Share of India5.05%

¹ The source includes people recorded as “Others” within its published male column. We retain that official table convention. Read the definitions.

Putting Karnataka in perspective

With 6.11 crore residents, Karnataka ranked 9 among the 35 states and union territories in this 2011 dataset. Its published density of 319 people per square kilometre was lower than the national figure of 382.

Density relates the number of people to the geographic area used in the source. It does not show how evenly people are distributed within Karnataka. The sex ratio is a separate measure: this table reports 973 females for every 1,000 males.

Using these figures today

For a current-year population question, start with our India after 2011 data guide. It brings together official projections, surveys, birth and death statistics, and administrative data, with a reference period for each. Relabelling this census count with a newer year would give it a meaning it does not have.

For comparisons over time, check whether boundaries, definitions or the data release have changed. Our guide to counts and estimates explains how to choose a suitable measure.

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PopulationIndia · https://www.populationindia.com/census/2011/states/karnataka/ · Census 2011 · Sources checked 11 October 2026