Chennai Population 2024

Chennai's 2024 population is now estimated at 12,053,697In 1950, the population of Chennai was 1,491,293Chennai has grown by 277,550 in the last year, which represents a 2.36% annual change.These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Chennai, which typically includes Chennai's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.

Chennai, formerly Madras, is the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast near the Bay of Bengal, Chennai is the largest commercial and industrial center of South India as well as a cultural, economic and educational center. It is also known as the "Detroit of India" with a thriving automotive industry.

Chennai has an estimated population of 4.9 million people, which ranks 6th in India.

City Size and Population Density

Chennai has an estimated population of 4.9 million, with an area that has grown from 176 square kilometers to 426 square kilometers after a 2011 expansion. The urban agglomeration, which includes the city and suburbs, has a population estimated at 9 million. This makes it the 4th most populous metropolitan area in India and the 31st largest urban area in the world.

Chennai is by far the most densely populated city in Tamil Nadu, with a density of 26,553 people per square kilometers, very far ahead of the next city, Kanyakumari with 1,111 people per square kilometer.

Chennai Demographics

In 2001, the census from Chennai, India showed the city to have 4,343,645 citizens. This massive number was divided into 26,721 people per square kilometer. In 2011, the updated census showed that the city’s population had grown by 337,442 people – leading to a new citizen count of 4,681,087. Such massive numbers were sure to bring diversity among the people – and it did.

There are many spoken languages within this one city. The most common language is Tamil, spoken by about 75% of residents, followed by Telugu and English. There are several other languages spoken by migrant populations from other states who comprise very little of the population.

Chennai has the third largest expatriate population in the country behind Mumbai and Delhi, estimated at almost 90,000. Most residents of Chennai are Tamils. 62% of migrants to the city were from other parts of the state, 34% were from other parts of India, and 4% were from outside of India.

Chennai History

Chennai, which was once known as Madras, is India’s 4th largest city – and the 6th most populated region in the country. Located off of the Coromandel Coast, this city was first discovered a whopping 400 years ago. Chennai sports the impressive title of being the 31st largest city in the entire world.

What is now the modern-day bustling city of Chennai also used to be known as Fort St. George, which was an English settlement. People known as Vijayanagars were in charge of the region when the settlement was first established – a status given to them by the Nayaks – who had control over much of India 400 years ago. One person was appointed as the man in charge of this past Chennai, who went by the name of Damarla Venkatadri Nayaka. Nayaka was also a Telugu King and a chieftain for King Peda Venkata Raya.

Chennai got its name from a small town called Chennapattanam. This village was named after Nayaka’s father, Damerla Chennappa Nayaka – who controlled many regions along the coast of India.

Chennai Population Growth

Chennai has a continued pattern of steady growth. Chennai has the fourth highest population of people lviing in poverty in India, estimated at 820,000, or 19% of the city's total population, according to the census conducted in 2001. The city does well with its female to male ratio, with 1000 males for every 951 females. The density of this populous city continues to tighten every year, though the growth is much slower compared to other major cities. Ever since India’s 1947 independence, the population’s growth slowed by 3-4 percent. This does not stop the country in general from a healthy population growth rate, which is predicted to reach 50 million people by 2025. However, with birth rates continuously falling, the growth is not like the massive spikes seen in previous eras. Despite these drops, Chennai and the rest of India is expected to match China’s overall population by 2020.

Country
India
Growth Rate
2.36%

Chennai Population 2024

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Growth
19501,491,293
19511,554,3244.23%63,031
19521,590,8112.35%36,487
19531,628,0502.34%37,239
19541,666,2142.34%38,164
19551,705,2722.34%39,058
19561,745,3022.35%40,030
19571,786,1582.34%40,856
19581,828,0282.34%41,870
19591,870,8802.34%42,852
19601,914,7972.35%43,917
19611,975,9643.19%61,167
19622,073,1664.92%97,202
19632,175,1494.92%101,983
19642,282,3004.93%107,151
19652,394,4124.91%112,112
19662,512,1984.92%117,786
19672,635,7784.92%123,580
19682,765,6204.93%129,842
19692,901,4754.91%135,855
19703,044,2044.92%142,729
19713,180,0894.46%135,885
19723,278,9443.11%98,855
19733,380,5883.1%101,644
19743,485,5293.1%104,941
19753,593,7283.1%108,199
19763,705,4413.11%111,713
19773,820,3053.1%114,864
19783,938,8963.1%118,591
19794,061,1693.1%122,273
19804,187,4123.11%126,243
19814,307,3342.86%119,922
19824,410,6952.4%103,361
19834,516,5362.4%105,841
19844,625,0682.4%108,532
19854,735,8992.4%110,831
19864,849,5442.4%113,645
19874,965,9162.4%116,372
19885,085,2472.4%119,331
19895,207,1052.4%121,858
19905,332,0572.4%124,952
19915,455,1522.31%123,095
19925,571,3692.13%116,217
19935,689,7312.12%118,362
19945,810,7772.13%121,046
19955,934,3982.13%123,621
19966,060,8242.13%126,426
19976,189,5852.12%128,761
19986,321,2652.13%131,680
19996,455,7462.13%134,481
20006,593,2792.13%137,533
20016,744,0322.29%150,753
20026,920,2432.61%176,211
20037,101,0582.61%180,815
20047,286,8572.62%185,799
20057,476,9862.61%190,129
20067,672,3482.61%195,362
20077,872,8152.61%200,467
20088,078,8072.62%205,992
20098,289,5992.61%210,792
20108,506,1932.61%216,594
20118,728,4472.61%222,254
20128,956,5082.61%228,061
20139,190,5282.61%234,020
20149,430,6632.61%240,135
20159,677,0722.61%246,409
20169,929,9192.61%252,847
201710,189,3732.61%259,454
201810,455,6062.61%266,233
201910,711,2432.44%255,637
202010,971,1082.43%259,865
202111,235,0182.41%263,910
202211,503,2932.39%268,275
202311,776,1472.37%272,854
202412,053,6972.36%277,550
202512,336,0472.34%282,350
202612,623,1102.33%287,063
202712,914,7572.31%291,647
202813,210,6902.29%295,933
202913,510,7112.27%300,021
203013,814,3672.25%303,656
203114,121,3782.22%307,011
203214,431,3972.2%310,019
203314,744,2152.17%312,818
203415,059,1822.14%314,967
203515,375,7972.1%316,615
showing: 86 rows

Chennai Population Data (Urban Area)

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Other Cities in India

  1. India Census 2011 - Chennai - Chennai district census 2011 data
  2. India Census 2011 - Chennai City - Chennai city census 2011 data

Sources