Kanpur's 2026 population is now estimated at 3,257,269. In 1991, the population of Kanpur was 2,029,889. Kanpur has grown by 23,613 in the last year, which represents a 0.73% annual change. These population values and projections come from India census city counts via CityPopulation fallback access and World Population Review Internal Projections .
Kanpur is a city that is located in India. It is found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, and it is the most populous city within the state. The city was once known as Cawnpore. The city has a population of 2,767,348, which is a large number of residents. However, this only places Kanpur as the 12th most populous city in the country. The metro area of the city has a slightly higher population of just over 2.9 million.
The city of Kanpur covers a total surface area of approximately 403.70 square kilometers (155.87 square miles). When we factor in the overall population of this city, the population density comes to about 6,900 residents per square kilometer (approximately 18,000 residents per square mile).
Taking a closer look at the population of Kanpur shows that the city has a literacy rate of over 80%.
Kanpur’s dominant religion is Hinduism, with over 78% of residents following the religion. Islam is another popular religion followed by almost 20% of Kanpur’s residents.
The ethinic makeup of the population of Kanpur is composed of a large number of residents from the state of Uttar Pradesh, and there are also people from other states and countries like Punjabis, Irish, Bengalis, South Indians, Anglo Indian, Gujaratis, Iraqis, Portuguese, Gypsies, Parsis, and different ethnicities.
The city is a hub of commercial and industrial activity and is thought to be the commercial capital of Uttar Pradesh. Because of these roles and based on past growth rates, it’s safe to predict that Kanpur will continue to experience population growth well into the future.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 23,390,383 | 2.42% |
| Mumbai | 21,782,818 | 1.13% |
| Bengaluru | 15,565,994 | 4.1% |
| Kolkata | 15,440,671 | 0.63% |
| Chennai | 13,109,989 | 2.81% |
| Hyderabad | 11,868,136 | 2.95% |
| Ahmedabad | 10,588,126 | 3.46% |
| Surat | 9,580,601 | 5.03% |
| Pune | 7,888,467 | 3.01% |
| Ghaziabad | 5,029,611 | 5.13% |
| Jaipur | 4,575,390 | 2.75% |
| Kozhikode | 4,294,121 | 5.13% |
| Lucknow | 4,266,929 | 2.6% |
| Kochi | 4,143,068 | 4.57% |
| Thrissur | 3,940,307 | 5.13% |
| Coimbatore | 3,779,472 | 3.87% |
| Indore | 3,754,331 | 3.72% |
| Malappuram | 3,596,910 | 5.13% |
| Thiruvananthapuram | 3,556,039 | 5.13% |
| Kannur | 3,473,967 | 5.13% |
