Most Populated State in India 2026: State-wise Population Ranking
Last updated on 14th June, 2026.
Uttar Pradesh is the most populated state in India in 2026 with an estimated population of over 243 million people (24.3 crore). It is followed by Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh.
India population vary From North to south and east to west. Population distribution is influenced by factors such as geography, culture, economics, and migration patterns. India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories with wide range of population distribution.
India’s declining fertility rate is expected to reduce population growth in the coming years. As fewer children are born per woman, the pace of population increase will gradually slow across most states.
Top 10 Most Populated States in India
| Rank | State | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 243,466,000 |
| 2 | Bihar | 132,850,000 |
| 3 | Maharashtra | 129,584,000 |
| 4 | West Bengal | 100,631,000 |
| 5 | Madhya Pradesh | 89,965,000 |
| 6 | Rajasthan | 83,879,000 |
| 7 | Tamil Nadu | 77,582,000 |
| 8 | Gujarat | 74,343,000 |
| 9 | Karnataka | 69,074,000 |
| 10 | Andhra Pradesh | 53,740,000 |
The northern states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are among the top state, while states in the northeast and some in the southern regions, such as Sikkim and Goa, have much smaller populations. Urban and rural population gap in India is decreasing over the years.
Top 10 Most Populated States in India (2026)
Most populated state in India: map
Read : Population growth of India from 1960 to 2024
highest population state in India
| Rank | State / UT | Population | % Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 243,466,000 | 17% |
| 2 | Bihar | 132,850,000 | 9% |
| 3 | Maharashtra | 129,584,000 | 9% |
| 4 | West Bengal | 100,631,000 | 7% |
| 5 | Madhya Pradesh | 89,965,000 | 6% |
| 6 | Rajasthan | 83,879,000 | 6% |
| 7 | Tamil Nadu | 77,582,000 | 5% |
| 8 | Gujarat | 74,343,000 | 5% |
| 9 | Karnataka | 69,074,000 | 5% |
| 10 | Andhra Pradesh | 53,740,000 | 4% |
| 11 | Odisha | 47,221,000 | 3% |
| 12 | Jharkhand | 41,108,000 | 3% |
| 13 | Telangana | 38,665,000 | 3% |
| 14 | Assam | 36,815,000 | 3% |
| 15 | Kerala | 36,239,000 | 3% |
| 16 | Haryana | 31,409,000 | 2% |
| 17 | Punjab | 31,370,000 | 2% |
| 18 | Chhattisgarh | 31,311,000 | 2% |
| 19 | Delhi | 22,674,000 | 2% |
| 20 | Jammu & Kashmir | 13,927,000 | 1% |
| 21 | Uttarakhand | 12,028,000 | 1% |
| 22 | Himachal Pradesh | 7,588,000 | 1% |
| 23 | Tripura | 4,268,000 | 0% |
| 24 | Meghalaya | 3,447,000 | 0% |
| 25 | Manipur | 3,318,000 | 0% |
| 26 | Nagaland | 2,299,000 | 0% |
| 27 | Puducherry | 1,771,000 | 0% |
| 28 | Arunachal Pradesh | 1,608,000 | 0% |
| 29 | Goa | 1,601,000 | 0% |
| 30 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | 1,593,000 | 0% |
| 31 | Mizoram | 1,275,000 | 0% |
| 32 | Chandigarh | 1,270,000 | 0% |
| 33 | Sikkim | 709,000 | 0% |
| 34 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 406,000 | 0% |
| 35 | Ladakh | 306,000 | 0% |
| 36 | Lakshadweep | 70,000 | 0% |
| Total | India | 1,429,410,000 |
Population DATA is sourced from Population projection of UIDAI
Official census is conducted by Indian Government every 10 years. next official census data to be released in 2027 by Govt. of India.