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Karnataka · Census 2011 district profile

17.5 lakh people in 4,06,816 households across 7 tehsils, as counted by Census 2011. Market size, development indicators and religious composition in one place — every figure from the official tables.

Religious composition · Census 2011, district-level

Out of every 100 residents

  • Hindu84.4%
  • Muslim13.4%
  • Christian1.5%
  • Jain0.5%
  • Religion not stated0.1%
  • Sikh<0.1%
  • Buddhist<0.1%
  • Other religions<0.1%
  • Scheduled Castes (SC)17.6%
  • Scheduled Tribes (ST)3.7%
17.5 lakh
Population
Census 2011
80.4%
Literacy
Female literacy 74.8%
35.6%
Urban population
207 per sq km

Census 2011 figures for undivided Shimoga district. Now administered as: Shivamogga.

Market

Population, urbanisation and the share of households owning key assets — the starting point for sizing a district market.

Population
17,52,753
8,77,415 / 8,75,338
Households
4,06,816
4.3 persons per household
Urban population
35.6%
6,23,727 persons
Sex ratio
998
women per 1,000 men
Density
207
per sq km
Work participation
44.5%
7,80,598 workers

Households owning (% of households)

Mobile phone66.7%Karnataka 64.6%
Television64.6%Karnataka 60.0%
Scooter / motorcycle / moped27.7%Karnataka 25.6%
Availing banking services69.1%Karnataka 61.2%
LPG / PNG for cooking31.9%Karnataka 32.5%
Computer / laptop8.8%Karnataka 12.8%
Car / jeep / van5.2%Karnataka 6.3%
None of the listed assets11.1%Karnataka 14.2%

What workers do

Cultivators26.2%
Agricultural labourers31.6%
Household industry1.9%
Other work (services, trade, industry)40.3%

Main workers 6,52,789, marginal workers 1,27,809. Shares of all workers.

State and India amenity figures are weighted by households from the published district percentages.

Development

Basic-service coverage from the Houselisting & Housing Census 2011, with literacy from the Primary Census Abstract.

Literacy
80.4%
age 7 and above
Female literacy
74.8%
Karnataka 68.1%
SC
17.6%
% of population
ST
3.7%
% of population
Electricity for lighting90.5%Karnataka 90.6%
Latrine within premises71.2%Karnataka 51.2%
No latrine — open defecation26.8%Karnataka 45.0%
Tap water (main source)65.3%Karnataka 66.0%
Tap water from treated source43.3%Karnataka 41.2%
Drinking water within premises45.0%Karnataka 44.5%
Water source away from home13.0%Karnataka 18.2%
Closed drainage14.8%Karnataka 26.0%
Permanent (pucca) house56.8%Karnataka 66.8%
Religion & SC/ST

Census 2011 counts people by religion and records Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe status. These are district population figures, not voter or constituency figures.

Census 2011, district-level

Population counts from Census 2011 — not voters and not constituency-level figures. There is no official Census data on OBC or General castes. The Census has not published a caste count other than SC and ST since 1931, so this page shows none.

Out of every 100 residents

  • Hindu84.4%
  • Muslim13.4%
  • Christian1.5%
  • Jain0.5%
  • Religion not stated0.1%
  • Sikh<0.1%
  • Buddhist<0.1%
  • Other religions<0.1%
  • Scheduled Castes (SC)17.6%
  • Scheduled Tribes (ST)3.7%
Tehsils

Sub-district rows from the Primary Census Abstract and table C-01. Tehsil boundaries are as they stood in 2011.

Tehsil-wise figures for Shimoga
TehsilsPopulationHouseholdsUrban populationLiteracyFemale literacySCSTHinduMuslimChristianSikhReligious composition
Sagar2,06,31948,39631.7%81.0%74.5%9.6%2.1%85.4%9.7%2.5%0.0%
Sorab2,00,80946,6585.6%78.7%71.6%19.4%3.9%91.9%7.5%0.4%0.0%
Shikarpur2,38,22951,79822.2%75.8%69.4%24.7%6.0%84.9%14.8%0.2%0.0%
Hosanagara1,18,22027,3134.9%79.9%73.4%8.8%2.1%92.7%5.3%1.7%0.0%
Tirthahalli1,42,00635,34010.2%83.1%77.5%9.9%1.9%91.8%6.9%1.2%0.0%
Shimoga5,07,3241,17,60163.6%83.1%78.9%18.1%4.1%79.1%18.5%1.6%0.0%
Bhadravati3,39,84679,71044.5%79.5%73.9%21.7%3.7%81.0%16.1%2.5%0.0%

Table scrolls sideways on small screens.

Assembly seats

Seats whose area falls in this Census 2011 district, as drawn by the 2008 delimitation (or the Local Government Directory's ward mapping where that is the only link).

Other districts of Karnataka

Field data

Census 2011 is the latest official count. For today's numbers, our field teams run verified surveys — pick what you need and we'll call back with scope and a quote.

What do you need for Shimoga, Karnataka?

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FAQ

Answers use Census of India 2011 tables and NITI Aayog's Aspirational Districts list.

What is the population of Shimoga district?

Census 2011 counted 17,52,753 people in Shimoga — 8,77,415 men and 8,75,338 women (sex ratio 998 women per 1,000 men). 35.6% of them lived in urban areas.

What is the religious composition of Shimoga?

By Census 2011, Shimoga's population was Hindu 84.4%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 1.5% and Jain 0.5%. These are population shares for the whole district, not voter figures.

What share of Shimoga is SC and ST?

Scheduled Castes were 17.6% and Scheduled Tribes 3.7% of the district's population in Census 2011. There is no official Census count of OBC or General castes.

What is the literacy rate of Shimoga?

Census 2011 literacy (age 7 and above) was 80.4%; female literacy was 74.8%.

Why are these 2011 figures?

Census 2011 is the latest completed population census of India. The 2021 Census was postponed; the next Census has been notified with a reference date of 1 March 2027 (1 October 2026 for snow-bound areas), and no results from it have been published yet. Until they are, the 2011 tables remain the official source for district-level population, religion and SC/ST figures.

Source: Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India — Census of India 2011, district code 29-568: Primary Census Abstract, C-01 religion table, HH-14 amenities and assets and A-01 area table (censusindia.gov.in). Aspirational Districts: NITI Aayog list. Seat links: 2008 delimitation district of each assembly seat and the Local Government Directory. Percentages are calculated from the published counts; amenity percentages are as published in table HH-14.