Salem: population and official figures
What is the population of Salem?
Salem had 829,267 inhabitants (urban agglomeration) on 9 February 2011, according to a complete census (people present) reported to the United Nations.
Source: United Nations Statistics Division · saved copyHow does Salem rank among cities in India?
Of the 505 cities the UN table lists for India (capitals and places of 100,000 or more), it is 59th largest.
Source: United Nations Statistics Division · saved copyHow many women and men live in Salem?
Women and girls made up 49.7% of residents (411,950 female, 417,317 male).
Source: United Nations Statistics Division · saved copyWho runs Salem?
In India, cities and towns are run by village councils: Directly elected every five years; village head (sarpanch/pradhan) elected directly or by members depending on state law; mayors mostly chosen by councillors, directly elected in some states. Water, sanitation, village roads, local records, implementing national schemes; cities handle planning, streets, waste and public health within powers devolved by the state.
How local power works in India
Cities of a similar size in India
- Chandigarh 970,602
- Guwahati 962,334
- Solapur 951,558
- Hubli-Dharwad 943,788
- Mysore 920,550
- Bareilly 904,797
- Moradabad 887,871
- Gurgaon 886,519
- Bhubaneswar Town 885,363
- Aligarh 874,408
- Jalandhar 868,929
- Tiruchirappalli 847,387
- Mira Bhayandar 809,378
- Thiruvananthapuram 788,271
- Bhiwandi 709,665
- Saharanpur 705,478
Up a level: all cities in India · India · government and power
Sources
- United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic Yearbook 2024, Table 8: Population of capital cities and cities of 100 000 or more inhabitants, latest available year, 2005-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c6784df022e…)
- United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic Yearbook 2024, technical notes to Table 8, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b0d2d6d8ccd6…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.