# Himachal Pradesh – Districts List, Cities, Population & Literacy (Census 2011) > Source: https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/ State · India # Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh is a state of India with its capital at Shimla. At the 2011 Census it was home to **6,864,602 people** — 0.6% of India and 22nd of 36 states and union territories — in 12 districts, 59 towns and 20,690 villages. 10% lived in towns, and literacy was 82.8% (above the national 73.0%). - 6,864,602people (2011) - 12districts (2011) - 59towns - 82.8%literacy ## Who lives in Himachal Pradesh? Himachal Pradesh had **6,864,602 people** at the 2011 Census — 0.6% of India's population and 22nd of 36 states and union territories by population. There were 972 women for every 1,000 men (above the India figure of 943; 13th of 36 states and union territories). Among children under 7 the ratio was 909 girls per 1,000 boys (the India figure is 918). An average household had 4.6 people, against 4.9 across India. ## How literate is Himachal Pradesh? 82.8% of people aged 7 and over could read and write in 2011 (above India's 73.0%), 10th of 36 states and union territories. Men were at 89.5% and women at 75.9% — a gap of 13.6 points (it is 16.2 points across India). Among its districts, literacy is highest in [Hamirpur](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/hamirpur/) (88.2%) and lowest in [Chamba](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/chamba/) (72.2%). Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## What do people in Himachal Pradesh do for a living? 51.9% of people worked in 2011 (women: 44.8%). Of all workers, 26% farmed their own land, 2% were farm labourers, 1% worked in household industry and 29% in other work such as services, trade and factories; 42% were marginal workers with less than six months' work. Farming employs 28% of workers here, against 38% across India. The most farm-dependent of its districts is [Kullu](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/) (52% of workers in farming) and the least is [Kangra](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kangra/) (12% of workers in farming). ********** **■** Cultivators 26 (26%) · **■** Farm labourers 2 (2%) · **■** Household industry 1 (1%) · **■** Other work 29 (29%) · **■** Marginal 42 (42%) Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Cities and towns of Himachal Pradesh 10.0% of people lived in towns and cities (below India's 31.1%), the least urban of 36 states and union territories. The Census counted 59 towns: 56 statutory towns with a municipality and 3 census towns — places urban in character but still governed as villages. 1 city has 1 lakh (100,000) people or more. The largest is [Shimla](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/shimla/shimla-00182/shimla/) with 169,578 people, home to 25% of the urban population. Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Villages of Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh had 20,690 census villages, 17,882 of them inhabited. The average inhabited village had 345 people; 13 villages had 5,000 people or more. The largest: [Kharal](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/kullu/kharal/) (12,384), [Shillihar](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/kullu/shillihar-012879/) (9,132), [Kais](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/kullu/kais/) (7,234), [Manjha Desh](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/ani/manjha-desh/) (7,168) and [Nermand](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/nermand/nermand/) (6,593). Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Where is Himachal Pradesh, and what is it like? The capital is [Shimla](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/shimla/shimla-00182/shimla/). It covers 55,780 km², so in 2011 there were about 123 people per km². It borders [Haryana](https://wherepedia.org/india/haryana/), [Jammu and Kashmir](https://wherepedia.org/india/jammu-and-kashmir/), [Ladakh](https://wherepedia.org/india/ladakh/), [Punjab](https://wherepedia.org/india/punjab/), [Uttar Pradesh](https://wherepedia.org/india/uttar-pradesh/) and [Uttarakhand](https://wherepedia.org/india/uttarakhand/). Source: [Wikidata (CC0) — capital, area, languages, neighbours; retrieved 2026-10-29](https://www.wikidata.org/). ### Weather and best time to visit At Shimla, the hottest month is Jun (average 30 °C), the coldest Jan (11 °C), and the wettest Aug (282 mm of rain). The most comfortable months are **February to April and October to December**. - Jan - Feb - Mar - Apr - May - Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep - Oct - Nov - Dec Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/). ## Population of Himachal Pradesh compared with India ■ Himachal Pradesh · ■ India Literacy (age 7+) ****82.8%** **73.0% Sex ratio (F per 1,000 M) ****972** **943 Child sex ratio (0–6) ****909** **918 Working population ****51.9%** **39.8% Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). ## Districts of Himachal Pradesh District People Sub-districts Towns Literacy [Kangra](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kangra/) 1,510,075 21 9 85.7% [Mandi](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/mandi/) 999,777 17 5 81.5% [Shimla](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/shimla/) 814,010 17 11 83.6% [Solan](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/solan/) 580,320 9 8 83.7% [Sirmaur](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/sirmaur/) 529,855 10 3 78.8% [Una](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/una/) 521,173 5 5 86.5% [Chamba](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/chamba/) 519,080 10 5 72.2% [Hamirpur](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/hamirpur/) 454,768 7 4 88.2% [Kullu](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kullu/) 437,903 6 5 79.4% [Bilaspur](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/bilaspur/) 381,956 6 4 84.6% [Kinnaur](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/kinnaur/) 84,121 6 0 80.0% [Lahul & Spiti](https://wherepedia.org/india/himachal-pradesh/lahul-spiti/) 31,564 3 0 76.8% Source: [Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (town, village and ward level), all districts](https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog). Boundaries and names as at the 2011 Census; districts created since then are not shown separately. ## Largest cities and towns in Himachal Pradesh - Shimla · 169,578 - Solan · 39,256 - Dharmsala · 30,764 - Baddi · 29,911 - Nahan · 28,899 - Mandi · 26,422 - Paonta Sahib · 25,183 - Sundarnagar · 24,344 - Chamba · 19,933 - Una · 18,722 - Kullu · 18,536 - Hamirpur · 17,604 - Bilaspur · 13,654 - Yol · 12,028 - Nalagarh · 10,708 - Nurpur · 9,807 - Kangra · 9,528 - Santokhgarh · 9,363 - Mehatpur Basdehra · 9,218 - Shamshi · 8,870 ## Quick answers - What is the capital of Himachal Pradesh?Shimla - What is the area of Himachal Pradesh?55,780 km² - Which states border Himachal Pradesh?Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand - When is the best time to visit Himachal Pradesh?February to April and October to December - What is the literacy rate of Himachal Pradesh?82.8% (Census 2011) - What is the sex ratio of Himachal Pradesh?972 women per 1,000 men (Census 2011) - How many districts are in Himachal Pradesh?12 (Census 2011) - What is the population of Himachal Pradesh?6,864,602 (Census 2011) - Which is the most populous district of Himachal Pradesh?Kangra - Which is the largest city in Himachal Pradesh?Shimla