Demography of Punjab and General Population Statistics

Explore the demography of Punjab, including population size, density, growth trends, literacy rate, and socio-economic insights shaping the region's diverse and dynamic community.

Table of Contents

Population growth rates in Punjab have slowed significantly due to declining birth rates and fertility levels. This decline has not only reduced the state’s population growth over time but has done so at a sharper rate compared to the national average. According to the Economic Survey of Punjab 2022-23, the annual population growth rate in Punjab between 2001 and 2011 was 1.4%, lower than the national average of 1.8%. As of 2020, the fertility rate in Punjab is 1.5, compared to 2.0 for India as a whole.

These demographic trends have led to a noticeable shift, with a growing proportion of Punjab’s population falling into the working-age group (15–64 years). However, this shift presents two challenges:

A larger working-age population does not inherently lead to economic growth unless accompanied by adequate skilling and employment opportunities.
With a rising share of older adults, the state will need to allocate resources to healthcare and social security systems to support its growing dependent population.

General Population Statistics

Year	Population	Male	Female	Sex Ratio	Child Population	Child Sex Ratio	Literacy Rate
2011	27,743,338	14,639,465	13,103,873	895	3,076,219	846	75.84%
2001	24,358,999	12,985,045	11,373,954	876	3,171,829	798	69.65%

District-Wise Population Statistics (2011 Census)

District	1991 Population	2001 Population	2011 Population
Amritsar	1,697,300	2,157,020	2,490,656
Barnala	440,800	526,931	595,527
Bathinda	985,300	1,183,295	1,388,525
Faridkot	455,000	550,892	617,508
Fatehgarh Sahib	455,300	538,470	600,163
Gurdaspur	1,756,600	2,103,455	2,298,323
Hoshiarpur	1,299,300	1,481,292	1,586,625
Jalandhar	1,649,900	1,962,761	2,193,590
Ludhiana	2,428,400	3,032,831	3,498,739
Patiala	1,344,900	1,584,780	1,895,686

Religious Composition

Punjab is unique as India’s only Sikh-majority state, with approximately 57.69% of the population adhering to Sikhism. Hinduism is the second most prevalent religion in the state,

Religion	Population	Percentage
Sikh	16,004,754	57.69%
Hindu	10,678,138	38.49%
Muslim	535,489	1.93%
Christian	348,230	1.26%
Jain	45,040	0.16%
Buddhist	33,237	0.12%
Other Religion	10,886	0.04%

Urban and Rural Distribution

Punjab’s population is distributed across urban and rural areas, with the majority residing in rural regions. Urban areas account for 37.48% (10,399,146 people), while rural areas make up 62.52% (17,344,192 people). Urban regions show higher literacy (83.18%) but lower sex ratios compared to rural areas, reflecting distinct demographic patterns.

Urban Population: 10,399,146 (37.48%)

Sex Ratio: 875 females per 1,000 males
Child Sex Ratio: 852 girls per 1,000 boys
Literacy Rate: 83.18%

Rural Population: 17,344,192 (62.52%)

Sex Ratio: 907 females per 1,000 males
Child Sex Ratio: 844 girls per 1,000 boys
Literacy Rate: 71.42%

Literacy

Literacy rate refers to the percentage of individuals aged seven years and above who can read and write with understanding in any language. Literacy is a crucial indicator of a region’s educational development and social progress. In Punjab, the overall literacy rate stands at 75.84%, with males at 80.44% and females at 70.73%.

Overall Literacy Rate: 75.84% (Males: 80.44%; Females: 70.73%)
Total Literates: 18,707,137 (Males: 10,436,056; Females: 8,271,081)

Migration

Migration remains a defining characteristic of Punjab’s population and economy. The state ranks 8th in India in terms of migrant population, with over 24 lakh people from other states migrating to Punjab, according to the 2011 Census. This accounts for 5.3% of the total internal migration in India. A majority of these migrants (55.2%) were women. Ludhiana and SAS Nagar emerged as the primary destinations for immigrants within the state.

Comparative Demographics: India vs Punjab

S. No	Parameter	India (States)	Punjab (Districts)	Remarks
1	Population	121 Cr (1,21,05,69,573)	2.77 Cr (2,77,43,338)	– Punjab contributes 2.29% of India’s population. – Population Rank: 16th – 13.89% Decadal Growth
	Male	62.31 Cr	1.46 Cr
	Female	58.74 Cr	1.31 Cr
	Highest Population	Uttar Pradesh (19.98 Cr)	Ludhiana (16.21 Lakh)
	Lowest Population	Sikkim (6.10 Lakh)	Barnala (2.78 Lakh)
2	Density	382/km²	551/km²	– Punjab’s density increased by 17.64%. – Density Rank: 6th (excluding UTs).
	Highest Density	Bihar	Ludhiana (978/km²)
	Lowest Density	Arunachal Pradesh	Muktsar (368/km²)
3	Total Area	3.287 million km²	50,362 km²	– Punjab covers 1.53% of India’s total area. – Area Rank: 19th (excluding UTs).
	Largest (Area-Wise)	Rajasthan	Ludhiana
	Smallest (Area-Wise)	Goa	Mohali
4	Literacy Rate	74%	75.84%	– Punjab Literacy Rate: a) Males: 80.44% b) Females: 70.73% – Literacy Rank: 14th
	Highest Literacy Rate	Kerala	Hoshiarpur (84.6%)
	Lowest Literacy Rate	Bihar	Mansa (61.8%)
5	Sex Ratio	940/1000	895/1000	– Sex Ratio Rank: 26th
	Highest Sex Ratio	Kerala (1084)	Hoshiarpur (961)
	Lowest Sex Ratio	Haryana (879)	Bathinda (868)
	Sex Ratio (0–6 Age)	914	846

In summary, Punjab’s demographics between 1971 and 2011 highlight dynamic changes driven by socio-economic, historical, and environmental factors. These trends provide key insights into population growth, religious composition, literacy, urbanization, and rural dynamics, shaping the state’s developmental trajectory.