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district · Census 2011 · code 603

Chennai population.
Households, literacy and work.

A detailed district profile in Tamil Nadu, using the original Primary Census Abstract. Every figure on this page belongs to the source’s 2011 population and geography.

Historical geographic unit. Historical Census 2011 district boundary. This record does not represent a present-day district unless the boundaries are independently shown to match.
Population4,646,732people
Households1,154,982PCA households
Literacy rate90.18%% of people aged 7+
Work participation39.11%% of all residents

Total, rural and urban population

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Indicator · Census 2011TotalRuralUrban
Populationpeople4,646,73204,646,732
Households recorded in the PCAhouseholds1,154,98201,154,982
Children aged 0–6people aged 0–6459,3240459,324
Children aged 0–6 as a share of population%9.88%Not available9.88%
Sex ratiofemales per 1,000 males989Not available989
Child sex ratiogirls per 1,000 boys aged 0–6950Not available950
Literate populationliterate people aged 7+3,776,27603,776,276
Literacy rate%90.18%Not available90.18%
Male literacy rate%93.7%Not available93.7%
Female literacy rate%86.64%Not available86.64%
Scheduled Castes populationpeople779,6670779,667
Scheduled Tribes populationpeople10,061010,061
Total workersCensus workers1,817,29701,817,297
Work participation rate%39.11%Not available39.11%
Main workersworked at least 6 months1,619,55401,619,554
Marginal workersworked less than 6 months197,7430197,743
Non-workerspeople2,829,43502,829,435

Calculated percentages retain the denominator named in each row. Counts are reported people or households, and are not estimates for a later year.

Census of India · original Primary Census Abstract
Sheet1! rows 1910, 1911, 1912; original PCA field codes are documented in field-definitions.json.
Source access notes and archived workbooks

What stands out in this profile?

  • The source records 1,154,982 households and 4,646,732 residents. These household and person counts are separate measures.
  • Urban residents accounted for 100% of this area’s population, compared with 0% in rural areas.
  • Children aged 0–6 accounted for 9.88% of residents. This historical age group helps describe the age structure in 2011; it does not measure today’s children.
  • Male literacy was 93.7% and female literacy was 86.64%, each calculated among the corresponding population aged 7 and above.
  • Of 1,817,297 Census workers, 89.12% were main workers. Census work includes more than salaried employment.

What kinds of work were recorded?

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Economic activityMain workersMarginal workers
Cultivators10,2104,244
Agricultural labourers10,2513,423
Household industry workers29,1438,202
Other workers1,569,950181,874

Cultivators, agricultural labourers, household industry workers and other workers are separate Census activity categories. A worker count is not a count of employees on a company payroll.

Using the profile in research

These are historical counts, not current market estimates or present-day projections for this district. Read the research guidance before choosing a denominator or adding eligibility, adoption and spending assumptions.

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

Towns connected to this district

The population displayed here counts only the source components within this district. A linked full-town profile can include components in other districts.

Census code 803339

Chennai

4,646,732 people within this district · Municipal corporation