Which is the most populated state in india Top 5, 10, 20 population state in India : Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India with a population of over 200 million as per Census and comprises approximately 16-17% of India’s overall population. It has over 240 million people in its demographic as of estimates for 2024–2025, followed by Maharashtra and Bihar.
Top 3 Most Populous States (Approx. Data):
Uttar Pradesh: 200–240+ million
Maharashtra: 112–124 million
Bihar: 104–121 million
Uttar Pradesh is the most populous country subdivision in the world.
Uttar Pradesh happens to be the most populous state in India. As of early 2026, its population is given as about 243 million (24.3 crore). To give that some perspective, if Uttar Pradesh were a country it would be the 6th biggest in population terms globally, approximately the same number of people as Nigeria. 5 States with Highest Population (Provisional 2026)Although the census of 2021 is still awaited, the latest estimates used to project population circa as per National Commission on Population there are now only two additions and minor changes among the five most populated states compared to last reported numbers:
Top 5 Most Populated States
| Rank | State | Estimated Population (2026) |
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 243.4 Million |
| 2 | Bihar | 132.8 Million |
| 3 | Maharashtra | 129.5 Million |
| 4 | West Bengal | 100.6 Million |
| 5 | Madhya Pradesh | 89.9 Million |
Key Facts:
Key Facts:
National share: Uttar Pradesh contributes nearly 17 per cent of the population to Rest of India.
Density: It is also one of the most densely populated areas, with over 1,000 individuals density per square kilometers in most places.
Growth: Uttar Pradesh has India’s largest population by numbers, but Bihar today has the most explosive growth rate of any Indian state.
Top 10 Most Populated States
These 10 states alone house nearly 75% of India’s total population.
| Rank | State | Estimated Population (2026) | Global Comparison (Approx.) |
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 24.35 Crore (243.5M) | Nigeria |
| 2 | Bihar | 13.28 Crore (132.8M) | Mexico |
| 3 | Maharashtra | 12.96 Crore (129.6M) | Mexico |
| 4 | West Bengal | 10.06 Crore (100.6M) | Vietnam |
| 5 | Madhya Pradesh | 8.99 Crore (89.9M) | Türkiye |
| 6 | Rajasthan | 8.38 Crore (83.8M) | Germany |
| 7 | Tamil Nadu | 7.76 Crore (77.6M) | Thailand |
| 8 | Gujarat | 7.43 Crore (74.3M) | Thailand |
| 9 | Karnataka | 6.91 Crore (69.1M) | United Kingdom |
| 10 | Andhra Pradesh | 5.37 Crore (53.7M) | Colombia |
States Ranked 11 to 20
These states represent the mid-sized demographic engines of the country, with several showing rapid urban growth.
| Rank | State | Estimated Population (2026) |
| 11 | Odisha | 4.72 Crore |
| 12 | Jharkhand | 4.11 Crore |
| 13 | Telangana | 3.86 Crore |
| 14 | Assam | 3.68 Crore |
| 15 | Kerala | 3.62 Crore |
| 16 | Haryana | 3.14 Crore |
| 17 | Punjab | 3.13 Crore |
| 18 | Chhattisgarh | 3.13 Crore |
| 19 | Uttarakhand | 1.20 Crore |
| 20 | Himachal Pradesh | 0.76 Crore |
Notable Observations:
The Big Shift: For the first time in modern projections, Bihar is expected to surpass Maharashtra to be the 2nd most populous state because of higher birth rates.
The “Country” States: Uttar Pradesh is still so big that if it were a sovereign country, it would be the sixth most populous in the world.
Union Territory Exemption: NCT of Delhi is not a state, however it will be around 2.26 Crore (22.6M) in numbers by the year 2026 and when it will be accorded to a rank with respect to states, it will fall between Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand if we talk about huge number population.
Slowest Growth: Southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala have had substantially slower population growth than their Northern or Eastern counterparts, in line with fertility rates and demographic transition narratives.
India All population state in India List
| Rank | State / Union Territory | Estimated Population (2026) | Share of India (%) |
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 24,34,66,000 | 17.03% |
| 2 | Bihar | 13,28,50,000 | 9.29% |
| 3 | Maharashtra | 12,95,84,000 | 9.07% |
| 4 | West Bengal | 10,06,31,000 | 7.04% |
| 5 | Madhya Pradesh | 8,99,65,000 | 6.29% |
| 6 | Rajasthan | 8,38,79,000 | 5.87% |
| 7 | Tamil Nadu | 7,75,82,000 | 5.43% |
| 8 | Gujarat | 7,43,43,000 | 5.20% |
| 9 | Karnataka | 6,90,74,000 | 4.83% |
| 10 | Andhra Pradesh | 5,37,40,000 | 3.76% |
| 11 | Odisha | 4,72,21,000 | 3.30% |
| 12 | Jharkhand | 4,11,08,000 | 2.88% |
| 13 | Telangana | 3,86,65,000 | 2.70% |
| 14 | Assam | 3,68,15,000 | 2.58% |
| 15 | Kerala | 3,62,39,000 | 2.54% |
| 16 | Haryana | 3,14,09,000 | 2.20% |
| 17 | Punjab | 3,13,70,000 | 2.19% |
| 18 | Chhattisgarh | 3,13,11,000 | 2.19% |
| UT1 | Delhi (NCT) | 2,26,74,000 | 1.59% |
| UT2 | Jammu & Kashmir | 1,39,27,000 | 0.97% |
| 19 | Uttarakhand | 1,20,28,000 | 0.84% |
| 20 | Himachal Pradesh | 75,88,000 | 0.53% |
| 21 | Tripura | 42,68,000 | 0.30% |
| 22 | Meghalaya | 34,47,000 | 0.24% |
| 23 | Manipur | 33,18,000 | 0.23% |
| 24 | Nagaland | 22,99,000 | 0.16% |
| UT3 | Puducherry | 17,71,000 | 0.12% |
| 25 | Arunachal Pradesh | 16,08,000 | 0.11% |
| 26 | Goa | 16,01,000 | 0.11% |
| UT4 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | 15,93,000 | 0.11% |
| 27 | Mizoram | 12,75,000 | 0.09% |
| UT5 | Chandigarh | 12,70,000 | 0.09% |
| 28 | Sikkim | 7,09,000 | 0.05% |
| UT6 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 4,06,000 | 0.03% |
| UT7 | Ladakh | 3,06,000 | 0.02% |
| UT8 | Lakshadweep | 70,000 | 0.00% |
| TOTAL INDIA | 1,42,94,04,000 | 100% |
