Population in the largest city in India
India: Population in the largest city was 6.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
6.6%
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
151st
of 153 countries
All-time high
7.6%
in 1960
All-time low
5.5%
in 2002
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in India, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
India recorded 6.6% for population in the largest city in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in India peaked at 7.6% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 5.5%, in 2002.
India ranks 151st of 153 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in India, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.6% | — |
| 1961 | 7.5% | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 7.5% | -0.9% |
| 1963 | 7.4% | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 7.3% | -1.1% |
| 1965 | 7.2% | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 7.1% | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 7.1% | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 7.0% | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 6.9% | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 6.8% | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 6.7% | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 6.6% | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 6.5% | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 6.4% | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 6.2% | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 6.1% | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 6.0% | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 5.8% | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 5.7% | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 5.7% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 5.7% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 5.7% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 5.6% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 5.6% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 5.6% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 5.6% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 5.6% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 5.6% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 5.6% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 5.6% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 5.6% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 5.6% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 5.5% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 5.5% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 5.5% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 5.5% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 5.6% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 5.6% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 5.7% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 5.7% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 5.7% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 5.8% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 5.8% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 5.9% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 5.9% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 6.0% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 6.0% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 6.1% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 6.3% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 6.3% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 6.4% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 6.5% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 6.5% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 6.6% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 6.6% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.3% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.3% | 5.7% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.6% | 5.6% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.6% | 5.5% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.0% | 5.7% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.5% | 6.3% | 6.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
- 148 United States of America 7.0% compare
- 149 Indonesia 6.9% compare
- 150 Netherlands 6.9% compare
- 152 Germany 5.2% compare
- 153 China 3.3% compare
More urban development data for India
- Population density 483.68 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 54.05 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1696 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 248.30 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 2.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 79.61 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 34.67 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 185.3 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 2,241 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in India?
- Population in the largest city in India was 6.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 7.6% in 1960.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.5% in 2002.
- How does India rank for population in the largest city?
- India ranks 151st out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.