Rural population (% of total population) in India was reported at 63.13 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Rural population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

In financial year 2024, the total number of internet connections in India reached close to *** million. The connectivity has more than tripled since 2015, in comparison to ****** million connections. Although around ** percent of India's population lives in rural areas, the number of connections remains higher in urban areas compared to rural areas. In 2024, there were *** million internet connections in urban areas.

India: Rural population, percent of total population: The latest value from 2023 is 63.64 percent, a decline from 64.13 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 38.64 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for India from 1960 to 2023 is 73.97 percent. The minimum value, 63.64 percent, was reached in 2023 while the maximum of 82.08 percent was recorded in 1960.

Rural population growth (annual %) in India was reported at 0.09713 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Rural population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Rural India was mainly made up of men and women between 15 and 59 years old in 2020. Compared to urban centers, children up to ages ** had a higher share in rural areas during the same time period.

Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population) in India was reported at 99.2 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Between the financial year 2016 and 2021, the high income class rural households grew faster than urban super rich households. There was a growth of over ** percent in rural super rich households. On the other hand, destitute classified urban households grew by *** percent.

India Census: Population: Rural: Female data was reported at 405,967,794.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 360,948,755.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: Rural: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 383,458,274.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 405,967,794.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 360,948,755.000 Person in 2001. India Census: Population: Rural: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAB001: Census: Population.

India Census: Population: Rural data was reported at 833,748,852.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 742,617,747.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 329,471,274.500 Person from Mar 1901 (Median) to 2011, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 833,748,852.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 212,544,454.000 Person in 1901. India Census: Population: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.GAB001: Census: Population.

Historical dataset showing India rural population by year from 1960 to 2023.

Rural population in India was reported at 916019293 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Rural population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

Over 909 million people in India lived in rural areas in 2023, a decrease from 2022. Urban India, although far behind with over 508 million people, had a higher year-on-year growth rate during the measured period.

Total Fertility Rate: India: Rural data was reported at 2.200 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.300 NA for 2019. Total Fertility Rate: India: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 2.550 NA from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2020, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.200 NA in 2005 and a record low of 2.200 NA in 2020. Total Fertility Rate: India: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH006: Vital Statistics: Total Fertility Rate.

India Census: Population: Rural: Age: Total data was reported at 833,748,852.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 742,490,639.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: Rural: Age: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 742,490,639.000 Person from Mar 1991 (Median) to 2011, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 833,748,852.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 622,796,324.000 Person in 1991. India Census: Population: Rural: Age: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAD003: Census: Population: by Single Age: Rural.

India Census: Population: Rural: Male: Age: 25 data was reported at 9,850,468.000 Person in 2011. This records a decrease from the previous number of 10,733,195.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: Rural: Male: Age: 25 data is updated yearly, averaging 10,733,195.000 Person from Mar 1991 (Median) to 2011, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11,446,255.000 Person in 1991 and a record low of 9,850,468.000 Person in 2011. India Census: Population: Rural: Male: Age: 25 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAD003: Census: Population: by Single Age: Rural.

Contains data from the World Bank's data portal. There is also a consolidated country dataset on HDX.

For the 70 percent of the world's poor who live in rural areas, agriculture is the main source of income and employment. But depletion and degradation of land and water pose serious challenges to producing enough food and other agricultural products to sustain livelihoods here and meet the needs of urban populations. Data presented here include measures of agricultural inputs, outputs, and productivity compiled by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.

In 1951, India’s total rural population was approximately 298 million, while the urban population was only about 62 million. By 2011, these numbers grew to around 833 million and 377 million, respectively. This represents a 179% increase in rural population and a staggering 504% increase in urban population over the 60-year period.

Abstract

An effective policy response to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic requires an enormous range of data to inform the design and response of programs. Public health measures require data on the spread of the disease, beliefs in the population, and capacity of the health system. Relief efforts depend on an understanding of hardships being faced by various segments of the population. Food policy requires measurement of agricultural production and hunger. In such a rapidly evolving pandemic, these data must be collected at a high frequency. Given the unexpected nature of the shock and urgency with which a response was required, Indian policymakers needed to formulate policies affecting India’s 1.4 billion people, without the detailed evidence required to construct effective programs. To help overcome this evidence gap, the World Bank, IDinsight, and the Development Data Lab sought to produce rigorous and responsive data for policymakers across six states in India: Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh.

Geographic coverage

Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh

Analysis unit

Household

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

This dataset includes observations covering six states (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh) and three survey rounds. The survey did not have a single, unified frame from which to sample phone numbers. The final sample was assembled from several different sample frames, and the choice of frame sample frames varied across states and survey rounds.

These frames comprise four prior IDinsight projects and from an impact evaluation of the National Rural Livelihoods project conducted by the Ministry of Rural Development. Each of these surveys sought to represent distinct populations, and employed idiosyncratic sample designs and weighting schemes.

A detailed note covering key features of each sample frame is available for download.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Telephone Interview [cati]

Research instrument

The survey questionnaires covered the following subjects:

1. Agriculture: COVID-19-related changes in price realisation, acreage decisions, input expenditure, access to credit, access to fertilisers, etc.

2. Income and consumption: Changes in wage rates, employment duration, consumption expenditure, prices of essential commodities, status of food security etc.

3. Migration: Rates of in-migration, migrant income and employment status, return migration plans etc.

4. Access to relief: Access to in-kind, cash and workfare relief, quantities of relief received, and constraints on the access to relief.

5. Health: Access to health facilities and rates of foregone healthcare, knowledge of COVID-19 related symptoms and protective behaviours.

While a number of indicators were consistent across all three rounds, questions were added and removed as and when necessary to account for seasonal changes (i.e: in the agricultural cycle).

Response rate

Round 1: ~55% Round 2: ~46% Round 3: ~55%

The migration rate within India between 2020 and 2021 was almost ** percent. This means, between July 2020 and June 2021, about **** percent of the population in the rural areas of the country were migrants, while this was about ** percent for the population in urban areas. During the same time period, there was a much higher share of migrants among females than males in the country.

India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Rural data was reported at 103,504,739.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 88,794,744.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 96,149,741.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 103,504,739.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 88,794,744.000 Person in 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAE001: Census: Population: by Religion.