In 2023, the city of Shanghai had a total resident population of around 24.87 million people. Pudong New Area was the city district with the largest population, being home to around 5.81 million people. The seven inner-city districts of Huangpu, Xuhui, Changning, Jing'an, Putuo, Hongkou, and Yangpu, as well as Pudong New Area, had a total population of around 12.19 million people in 2023.

As of 2023, about **** percent of the population of Shanghai municipality in China were 65 years and older. This share is expected to grow rapidly in the coming decades. Shanghai is one of the four first tier cities in China, the other three being Beijing, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou.

Population: Shanghai data was reported at 26.187 Person th in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 25.347 Person th for 2022. Population: Shanghai data is updated yearly, averaging 19.877 Person th from Dec 1982 (Median) to 2023, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24,870.895 Person th in 2020 and a record low of 14.394 Person th in 1999. Population: Shanghai data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: Sample Survey: By Region.

In 2023, the average resident population density in the Shanghai municipality was 3,923 people per square kilometer. This figure remained largely unchanged in the recent five years.

Population: Shanghai: Xuhui data was reported at 1,109.800 Person th in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,098.500 Person th for 2022. Population: Shanghai: Xuhui data is updated yearly, averaging 1,089.100 Person th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,125.132 Person th in 2013 and a record low of 887.000 Person th in 2005. Population: Shanghai: Xuhui data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GW: Population: Municipality District.

According to official figures, around 24.8 million permanent residents were living in the administrative area of Shanghai municipality in 2024. This was 71,900 people less than in the previous year. Population development in Shanghai During the economic reform and opening-up period, Shanghai’s population more than doubled and reached 24.5 million in 2013. However, the limits of demographic growth in Chinese megacities became increasingly apparent since the beginning of the 21st century. In 2017, the Shanghai municipal government planned to limit Shanghai's population and to keep the population within the 25 million-threshold until 2035. As a result, the total population has remained relatively stable since 2013. Furthermore, inhabitants are unevenly distributed across the city districts, with the central urban areas having population densities of around 20,000 people or more per square kilometer. Current demographic shifts Under the conditions of restricted demographic inflows, the effect of population aging becomes increasingly apparent in Shanghai. The city traditionally had a low birth rate compared to other regions in China. In recent years, the number of deaths exceeded the number of births, a development that most probably started in 2020. This development is also reflected in the share of people aged 65 and over which increased steadily in recent times. If migration barriers are not lowered, population decrease in Shanghai is likely in the future.

Population: Age 15 to 64: Shanghai data was reported at 18.555 Person th in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 18.138 Person th for 2022. Population: Age 15 to 64: Shanghai data is updated yearly, averaging 15.618 Person th from Dec 1982 (Median) to 2023, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18,705.024 Person th in 2010 and a record low of 10.477 Person th in 1999. Population: Age 15 to 64: Shanghai data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: Sample Survey: By Age and Region.

In 2023, the district of the Shanghai municipality with the highest resident population density was Hongkou district with an average of 29,280 people living on one square kilometer. The average density of the population of the Shanghai municipality in total was 3,923 people per square kilometer that year.

Population: Shanghai: Yangpu data was reported at 1,210.800 Person th in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,199.200 Person th for 2022. Population: Shanghai: Yangpu data is updated yearly, averaging 1,304.900 Person th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,324.300 Person th in 2013 and a record low of 1,077.000 Person th in 2007. Population: Shanghai: Yangpu data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GW: Population: Municipality District.

Population: Shanghai: Minhang data was reported at 2,716.600 Person th in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,688.800 Person th for 2022. Population: Shanghai: Minhang data is updated yearly, averaging 2,534.300 Person th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,716.600 Person th in 2023 and a record low of 825.000 Person th in 2005. Population: Shanghai: Minhang data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GW: Population: Municipality District.

In 2023, the natural growth rate of the registered resident population in the Shanghai municipality was minus 7.16 per mille. In the previous year, the growth rate was minus 5.23 per mille.

In 2023, the officially registered population of the Shanghai municipality reached approximately 15.16 million persons. The number of registered people living in the big cities in China is in general much lower than the number of actual residents, which reached about 25 million in the Shanghai municipality in that year.

Population: Shanghai: Huangpu data was reported at 504.700 Person th in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 507.800 Person th for 2022. Population: Shanghai: Huangpu data is updated yearly, averaging 653.800 Person th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 704.800 Person th in 2012 and a record low of 504.700 Person th in 2023. Population: Shanghai: Huangpu data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GW: Population: Municipality District.

Population: Shanghai: Pudong New data was reported at 5,811.100 Person th in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,782.000 Person th for 2022. Population: Shanghai: Pudong New data is updated yearly, averaging 5,451.200 Person th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6,096.100 Person th in 2021 and a record low of 1,848.000 Person th in 2005. Population: Shanghai: Pudong New data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GW: Population: Municipality District.

In 2023, the growth rate by migration of the registered resident population in the Shanghai municipality was 17.13 per mille. In that year, the natural growth rate of the registered population in Shanghai was minus 7.16 per mille.

Population: Shanghai: Jinshan data was reported at 822.700 Person th in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 823.700 Person th for 2022. Population: Shanghai: Jinshan data is updated yearly, averaging 797.100 Person th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 823.700 Person th in 2022 and a record low of 517.000 Person th in 2009. Population: Shanghai: Jinshan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GW: Population: Municipality District.

In 2023, about 289 thousand people moved to the Shanghai municipality and got registered there, while 30 thousand registered inhabitants left the city. The growth rate by migration of the registered population in the Shanghai municipality was 1.71 percent in 2023.

Population: Shanghai: Jiading data was reported at 1,886.100 Person th in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,893.400 Person th for 2022. Population: Shanghai: Jiading data is updated yearly, averaging 1,566.200 Person th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,893.400 Person th in 2022 and a record low of 527.000 Person th in 2005. Population: Shanghai: Jiading data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GW: Population: Municipality District.

Population: Shanghai: Jingan data was reported at 936.500 Person th in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 940.500 Person th for 2022. Population: Shanghai: Jingan data is updated yearly, averaging 310.000 Person th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,067.800 Person th in 2016 and a record low of 236.900 Person th in 2015. Population: Shanghai: Jingan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GW: Population: Municipality District.

In 2023, around ** thousand births and around *** thousand deaths were registered in the Shanghai municipality. These figures do not include children born to parents not registered in Shanghai or deaths of people not registered in Shanghai. The number of registered people in the big cities in China is in general much lower than the number of actual residents.