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.

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 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.

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 July of 2025.

The statistic displays the number of elderly people living in rural and urban areas in India between 1961 and 2011. In 2011, over 30 million people with the age of 60 years or above were living in urban areas in India. A large number of elderly population are living in rural areas.

In 1951, India’s rural population was approximately 298.6 million, while the urban population was just 62.4 million. In 2011, the rural and urban populations of India rose to 833.7 million and 377.1 million, respectively. The rural population steadily increased by approximately 179% over 60 years. However, the urban population experienced a dramatic rise. It increased by approximately 504% during the same timeframe.

The statistic illustrates the share of elderly people living in India in 2011. over nine percent of the female elderly population were living in rural areas in India. Conversely, the share of male population living in the rural areas was lower at slightly over eight percent

The dataset contains Decade and State wise Urban, Rural, Total Population and Decadal Growth Rate

Note: 1. The Population figures exclude population of areas under unlawful occupation of Pakistan and China, where Census could not be taken. 2. In Arunachal Pradesh, the census was conducted for the first time in 1961. 3. Population data of Assam include Union Territory of Mizoram, which was carved out of Assam after the 1971. 4. The 1981 Census could not be held in Assam. Total Population for 1981 has been worked out by Interpolation. 5. The 1991 Census could not be held in Jammu & Kashmir. Total Population for 1991 has been worked out by Interpolation. 6. India and Manipur figures include estimated Population for those of the three sub-divisions viz., Mao Maram,Paomata and Purul of Senapati district of Manipur as census result of 2001 in these three sub-divisions were cancelled due to technical and administrative reasons

Dataset

This dataset was created by Aravind M

Released under CC0: Public Domain

Contents

This scatter chart displays rural population (people) against urban population (people) in India. The data is filtered where the date is 2023. The data is about countries per year.

About 85 percent of the urban population living in India knew how to read or write as of 2011. Urban regions have better education infrastructure as compared to rural regions of the country. However, the literacy rate was lower in rural regions of India at about 69 percent for the same year.

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.

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.

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.

In 2023, approximately ** percent of the population in Papua New Guinea were living in rural areas. In comparison, approximately ***** percent of the population in Japan were living in rural areas that year. Urbanization and development Despite the desirable outcomes that urbanization entails, these rapid demographic shifts have also brought about unintended changes. For instance, in countries like India, rapid urbanization has led to unsustainable and crowded cities, with **** of the urban population in India estimated to live in slums. In China, population shifts from rural to urban areas have aggravated regional economic disparities. For example, the migration of workers into coastal cities has made possible the creation of urban clusters of immense economic magnitude, with the Yangtze River Delta city cluster accounting for about a ******of the country’s gross domestic product. Megacities and their future Home to roughly 60 percent of the world’s population, the Asia-Pacific region also shelters most of the globe’s largest urban agglomerations. Megacities, a term used for cities or urban areas with a population of over ten million people, are characterized by high cultural diversity and advanced infrastructure. As a result, they create better economic opportunities, and they are often hubs of innovation. For instance, many megacities in the Asia-Pacific region offer high local purchasing power to their residents. Despite challenges like pollution, income inequality, or the rising cost of living, megacities in the Asia-Pacific region have relatively high population growth rates and are expected to expand.

India Census: Population: Urban: Female data was reported at 181,616,925.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 135,565,591.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: Urban: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 158,591,258.000 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 181,616,925.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 135,565,591.000 Person in 2001. India Census: Population: Urban: 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.

Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainableHalf of humanity – 3.5 billion people – lives in cities today. By 2030, almost 60% of the world’s population will live in urban areas.828 million people live in slums today and the number keeps rising.The world’s cities occupy just 2% of the Earth’s land, but account for 60 – 80% of energy consumption and 75% of carbon emissions. Rapid urbanization is exerting pressure on fresh water supplies, sewage, the living environment, and public health. But the high density of cities can bring efficiency gains and technological innovation while reducing resource and energy consumption.Cities have the potential to either dissipate the distribution of energy or optimise their efficiency by reducing energy consumption and adopting green – energy systems. For instance, Rizhao, China has turned itself into a solar – powered city; in its central districts, 99% of households already use solar water heaters.68% of India’s total population lives in rural areas (2013-14).By 2030, India is expected to be home to 6 mega-cities with populations above 10 million. Currently 17% of India’s urban population lives in slums.This map layer is offered by Esri India, for ArcGIS Online subscribers, If you have any questions or comments, please let us know via content@esri.in.

Abstract

The Employment and Unemployment surveys of National sample Survey (NSS) are primary sources of data on various indicators of labour force at National and State levels. These are used for planning, policy formulation, decision support and as input for further statistical exercises by various Government organizations, academicians, researchers and scholars. NSS surveys on employment and un-employment with large sample size of households have been conducted quinquennially from 27th. round(October'1972 - September'1973) onwards. Cotinuing in this series the fourth such all-india survey on the situation of employment and unemployment in India was carried out during the period july 1987 - june 1988 .

The working Group set up for planning of the entire scheme of the survey, among other things, examined also in detail some of the key results generated from the 38th round data and recommended some stream-lining of the 38th round schedule for the use in the 43rd round. Further, it felt no need for changing the engaging the easting conceptual frame work. However, some additional items were recommended to be included in the schedule to obtain the necessary and relevant information for generating results to see the effects on participation rates in view of the ILO suggestions.5.0.1. The NSSO Governing Council approved the recommendations of the working Group and also the schedule of enquiry in its 44th meeting held on 16 January, 1987. In this survey, a nation-wide enquiry was conducted to provide estimates on various characteristics pertaining to employment and unemployment in India and some characteristics associated with them at the national and state levels. Information on various facets of employment and unemployment in India was collected through a schedule of enquiry (schedule 10).

Geographic coverage

The survey covered the whole of Indian Union excepting i) Ladakh and Kargil districts of Jammu & Kashmir ii) Rural areas of Nagaland

Analysis unit

Randomly selected households based on sampling procedure and members of the household

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

It may be mentioned here that in order to net more households of the upper income bracket in the Sample , significant changes have been made in the sample design in this round (compares to the design of the 38th round).

SAMPLE DESIGN AND SAMPLE SIZE The survey had a two-stage stratified design. The first stage units (f.s.u.'s) are villages in the rural sector and urban blocks in the urban sector. The second stage units are households in both the sectors. Sampling frame for f.s.u.'s : The lists of 1981 census villages constituted the sampling frame for rural sector in most districts. But the 1981 census frame could not be used for a few districts because, either the 1981 census was not held there or the list of 1981 census villages could not be obtained or the lists obtained from the census authorities were found to be grossly incomplete. In such cases 1971 census frame were used. In the urban sector , the Urban Frame Survey (U.F.S.) blocks constituted the sampling frame. STRATIFICATION : States were first divided into agro-economic regions which are groups of contiguous districts , similar with respect to population density and crop pattern. In Gujarat, however , some districts have been split for the purpose of region formation In consideration of the location of dry areas and the distribution of the tribal population in the state. The composition of the regions is given in the Appendix. RURAL SECTOR: In the rural sector, within each region, each district with 1981Census rural population less 1.8 million formed a single stratum. Districts with larger population were divided into two or more strata, depending on population, by grouping contiguous tehsils similar, as for as possible, in respect of rural population Density and crop pattern. (In Gujarat, however , in the case of districts extending over more than one region, even if the rural population was less than 1.8 million, the portion of a district falling in each region constituted a separate stratum. Further ,in Assam the old "basic strata" formed on the basis of 1971 census rural population exactly in the above manner, but with cut-off population as 1.5 million have been retained as the strata for rural sampling.) URBAN SECTOR : In the urban sector , strata were formed , again within NSS region , on the basis of the population size class of towns . Each city with population 10 lakhs or more is self-representative , as in the earlier rounds . For the purpose of stratification, in towns with '81 census population 4 lakhs or more , the blocks have been divided into two categories , viz . : One consisting of blocks in areas inhabited by the relatively affluent section of the population and the other consisting of the remaining blocks. The strata within each region were constituted as follows :

Table (1.2) : Composition of urban strata

Stratum population class of town

number

(1) (2)

1 all towns with population less than 50,000 2 -do- 50,000 - 199,999 3 -do- 200,000 - 399,999 4 -do- 400,000 - 999,999 ( affluent area) 5 (other area) 6 a single city with population 1 million and above (affluent area) 7 " (other area) 8 another city with population 1 million and above

9 " (other area)

Note : There is no region with more than one city with population 1 million and above. The stratum number have been retained as above even if in some regions some of the strata are empty. Allocation for first stage units : The total all-India sample size was allocated to the states /U.T.'s proportionate to the strength of central field staff. This was allocated to the rural and urban sectors considering the relative size of the rural and urban population. Now the rural samples were allocated to the rural strata in proportion to rural population. The urban samples were allocated to the urban strata in proportion to urban population with double weight age given to those strata of towns with population 4 lakhs or more which lie in area inhabited by the relatively affluent section. All allocations have been adjusted such that the sample size for stratum was at least a multiple of 4 (preferably multiple of 8) and the total sample size of a region is a multiple of 8 for the rural and urban sectors separately.
Selection of f.s.u.'s : The sample villages have been selected circular systematically with probability proportional to population in the form of two independent interpenetrating sub-samples (IPNS) . The sample blocks have been selected circular systematically with equal probability , also in the form of two IPNS' s. As regards the rural areas of Arunachal Pradesh, the procedure of 'cluster sampling' was:- The field staff will be supplied with a list of the nucleus villages of each cluster and they selected the remaining villages of the cluster according to the procedure described in Section Two. The nucleus villages were selected circular systematically with equal probability, in the form of two IPNS 's. Hamlet-group and sub-blocks : Large villages and blocks were sub- divided into a suitable number of hamlet-groups and sub-blocks respectively having equal population convent and one them was selected at random for surveys. Hamlet-group and sub-blocks : Large villages and blocks were sub- divided into a suitable number of hamlet-groups and sub-blocks respectively having equal population convent and one them was selected at random for surveys. Selection of households : rural : In order to have adequate number of sample households from the affluent section of the society, some new procedures were introduced for selection of sample households, both in the rural and urban sectors. In the rural sector , while listing households, the investigator identified the households in village/ selected hamlet- group which may be considered to be relatively more affluent than the rest. This was done largely on the basis of his own judgment but while exercising his judgment considered factors generally associated with rich people in the localitysuch as : living in large pucca house in well-maintained state, ownership/possession of cultivated/irrigated land in excess of certain norms. ( e.g.20 acres of cultivated land or 10 acres of irrigated land), ownership of motor vehicles and costly consumer durables like T.V. , VCR, VCP AND refrigerator, ownership of large business establishment , etc. Now these "rich" households will form sub-stratum 1. (If the total number of households listed is 80 or more , 10 relatively most affluent households will form sub-stratum 1. If it is below 80, 8 such households will form sub-stratum 1. The remaining households will 'constitute sub-stratum 2. At the time of listing, information relating to each household' s major sources of income will be collected, on the basis of which its means of livelihood will be identified as one of the following : "self-employed in non-agriculture " "rural labour" and "others" (see section Two for definition of these terms) . Also the area of land possessed as on date of survey will be ascertained from all households while listing. Now the households of sub-stratum 2 will be arranged in the order : (1)self-employed in non-agriculture, (2) rural labour, other households, with land possessed (acres) : (3) less than 1.00 (4) 1.00-2.49,(5)2.50-4.99, (6)

The migration rate within India between 2020 and 2021 was almost 29 percent. This means, between July 2020 and June 2021, about 26.5 percent of the population in the rural areas of the country were migrants, while this was about 35 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.

Abstract

The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) has been set up by the Government of India in 1950 to collect socio-economic data employing scientific sampling methods. The NSSO conducts regular consumer expenditure surveys as part of its "rounds", each round being normally of a year's duration and covering more than one subject of study. The surveys are conducted through household interviews, using a random sample of households covering practically the entire geographical area of the country. Surveys on consumer expenditure are being conducted quinquennially on a large sample of households from the 27th round (October 1972 - September 1973) onwards. The fourth quinquennial survey on household consumer expenditure was carried out during July 1987 - June 1988. The three previous surveys of this series were carries out in the 27th (October-September 1973) , the 32nd (July 1977 to June 1978) and the 38th (January to December , 1983) rounds of the NSSO. The present survey like the previous one, covered the entire population. Expenditure incurred by the sample household for the purpose of domestic consumption were collected for the 30 days preceding the date of survey. No account has, however, been taken of any expenditure incurred towards the productive enterprises of the household. It may be mentioned here that in order to get more households of the upper income bracket in the Sample , significant changes have been made in the sample design in this round (compared to the design of the 38th round). The survey covered the whole of Indian Union excepting: i) Ladakh and Kargil districts of Jammu & Kashmir ii) Rural areas of Nagaland

The field work for the survey was conducted, as usual, by the Field Operations Division of the Organisation. The collected data were processed by the Data Processing Division of NSSO and tabulated by the Computer Centre of Department of Statistics. The reports have been prepared by Survey Design & Research Division (SDRD) of NSSO under the guidance of the Governing Council, NSSO.

Geographic coverage

The survey covered the whole of Indian Union excepting: i) Ladakh and Kargil districts of Jammu & Kashmir ii) Rural areas of Nagaland

Analysis unit

Randomly selected households based on sampling procedure and members of the household

Universe

The survey used the interview method of data collection from a sample of randomly selected households and members of the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The survey will have a two-stage stratified design. The first stage units (f.s.u.s) or villages in the rural sector and urban blocks in the urban sector. The second stage units are households in both the sectors.

Sampling frame for f.s.u.'s: The lists of 1981 census villages constitute the sampling frame for rural sector in most districts. But the 1981 census frame could not be used for a few districts because, either the 1981 census was not held there or the list of 1981 census villages could not be obtained or the lists obtained from the census authorities were found to be grossly incomplete. In such cases 1971 census frame have been used. In the urban sector , the Urban Frame Survey (U.F.S.) blocks constitute the sampling frame.

Stratification: States are first divided into agro-economic regions which are groups of contiguous districts, similar with respect to population density and crop pattern. In Gujarat, however, some districts have been split for the purpose of region formation In consideration of the location of dry areas and the distribution of the tribal population in the state.

RURAL SECTOR: In the rural sector, within each region, each district with 1981 Census rural population less 1.8 million forms a single stratum. Districts with larger population were divided into two or more strata, depending on population, by grouping contiguous tehsils similar, as for as possible, in respect of rural population Density and crop pattern. (In Gujarat, however, in the case of districts extending over more than one region, even if the rural population was less than 1.8 million, the portion of a district falling in each region constituted a separate stratum. Further, in Assam the old "basic strata" formed on the basis of 1971 census rural population exactly in the above manner, but with cut-off population as 1.5 million have been retained as the strata for rural sampling).

URBAN SECTOR: In the urban sector, strata are formed, again within NSS region, on the basis of the population size class of towns. Each city with population 10 lakhs or more is self-representative, as in the earlier rounds. For the purpose of stratification, in towns with 1981 census population 4 lakhs or more , the blocks have been divided into two categories, viz. - One consisting of blocks in areas inhabited by the relatively affluent section of the population and the other consisting of the remaining blocks.

Allocation for first stage units: The total all-India sample size has been allocated to the states /U.T.'s proportionate to the strength of central field staff. This was allocated to the rural and urban sectors considering the relative size of the rural and urban population. Now the rural samples were allocated to the rural strata in proportion to rural population. The urban samples were allocated to the urban strata in proportion to urban population with double weight age given to those strata of towns with population 4 lakhs or more which lie in area inhabited by the relatively affluent section.

Selection of f.s.u.'s: The sample villages have been selected circular systematically with probability proportional to population in the form of two independent interpenetrating sub-samples (IPNS). The sample blocks have been selected circular systematically with equal probability, also in the form of two IPNS's.

Sample size (central sample): The all India sample in respect of the central sample consists of 8518 villages and 4648 blocks.

Sample size (state sample): All the states and Union Territories except Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep are participating in this round at least on an equal matching basis.

Sampling deviation

There was no deviation from the original sampling design.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The NSSO surveys on consumer expenditure aim to measure the household consumer expenditure in quantitative terms disaggregated by various household characteristics.

The data for this survey is collected in the NSS Schedule 1.0 used for household consumer expenditure. For this round, the schedule had 11 blocks.

Blocks 1 and 2 - are similar to the ones used in usual NSS rounds. These are used to record identification of sample households and particulars of field operations.

Block-3: Household characteristics like, household size, principal industry-occupation, social group, land possessed and cultivated, type of dwelling etc. are recorded in this block.

Block-4: In this block the detailed demographic particulars including age, sex, educational level, marital status, number of meals usually taken in a day etc. are recorded.

Block-5: In this block cash purchase and consumption of food, pan, tobacco, intoxicants and fuel & light during the last 30 days are recorded.

Block-6: Consumption of clothing during the last 30 and 365 days is recorded in this block.

Block-7: Consumption of footwear during the last 30 and 365 days is recorded in this block.

Block-8 : Expenditure on miscellaneous goods and services and rents and taxes during the last 30 days has been recorded in this block.

Block-9 : Expenditure for purchase and construction (including repairs) of durable goods for domestic use is recorded here.

Block-10 : Particulars of dwelling units are recorded in this block.

Block-11 : Summary of consumer expenditure during last 30 days is recorded in this block.