Urban population (% of total population) in India was reported at 36.87 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Urban population (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

In 2023, approximately a third of the total population in India lived in cities. The trend shows an increase of urbanization by more than 4 percent in the last decade, meaning people have moved away from rural areas to find work and make a living in the cities. Leaving the fieldOver the last decade, urbanization in India has increased by almost 4 percent, as more and more people leave the agricultural sector to find work in services. Agriculture plays a significant role in the Indian economy and it employs almost half of India’s workforce today, however, its contribution to India’s GDP has been decreasing while the services sector gained in importance. No rural exodus in sightWhile urbanization is increasing as more jobs in telecommunications and IT are created and the private sector gains in importance, India is not facing a shortage of agricultural workers or a mass exodus to the cities yet. India is a very densely populated country with vast areas of arable land – over 155 million hectares of land was cultivated land in India as of 2015, for example, and textiles, especially cotton, are still one of the major exports. So while a shift of the workforce focus is obviously taking place, India is not struggling to fulfill trade demands yet.

Urban population growth (annual %) in India was reported at 2.2645 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Urban population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

India: Percent urban population: The latest value from 2024 is 36.87 percent, an increase from 36.36 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 61.70 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for India from 1960 to 2024 is 26.2 percent. The minimum value, 17.92 percent, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 36.87 percent was recorded in 2024.

Urban population in India was reported at 534916498 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Urban population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

According to projections, *** percent of the population of NCT Delhi, Chandigarh and Lakshadweep in India were expected to live in urban areas by 2035. By contrast, slightly over *** percent of the population of Himachal Pradesh was expected to live in urban areas by the same year, which has the least share compared to the other states.

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

The dataset contains year-, month-, state- and gender-wise compiled data on ratio of urban to total population of India from the year 2011 to 2036. The figures of population given for different years are the projected figures, except for the census year of 2011.

The statistic displays the main states and union territories with the highest number of people living in urban areas in India in 2011. In that year, the state of Maharashtra had the highest population with over 50 million people living in urban areas. The population density in India from 2004 to 2014 can be seen here.

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.

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 October of 2025.

India Census: Population: Urban data was reported at 377,106,125.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 286,119,689.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 70,690,156.000 Person from Mar 1901 (Median) to 2011, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 377,106,125.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 25,851,873.000 Person in 1901. India Census: Population: Urban 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.

This horizontal bar chart displays urban population (people) by capital city using the aggregation sum in India. The data is about countries per year.

Urban India was made up mainly of males and females who were between *************** old in 2020. Children up to 14 years old ranked second in terms of population distribution in the same time period.

People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) in India was reported at 0.55469 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - People practicing open defecation, urban - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

India Census: Population: Urban: Female: Age: 35 data was reported at 4,353,859.000 Person in 2011. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,485,840.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: Urban: Female: Age: 35 data is updated yearly, averaging 4,353,859.000 Person from Mar 1991 (Median) to 2011, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,485,840.000 Person in 2001 and a record low of 3,756,823.000 Person in 1991. India Census: Population: Urban: Female: Age: 35 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.GAD004: Census: Population: by Single Age: Urban.

Population in the largest city (% of urban population) in India was reported at 6.3201 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Population in the largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

India Census: Population: Urban: Age: 15 data was reported at 7,305,808.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,198,351.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: Urban: Age: 15 data is updated yearly, averaging 6,198,351.000 Person from Mar 1991 (Median) to 2011, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,305,808.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 4,722,853.000 Person in 1991. India Census: Population: Urban: Age: 15 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.GAD004: Census: Population: by Single Age: Urban.

Access to electricity, urban (% of urban population) in India was reported at 100 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Access to electricity, urban - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

People using at least basic sanitation services, urban (% of urban population) in India was reported at 84.7% in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - People using at least basic sanitation services, urban (% of urban population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.