Estimated Slum Households in India by 2025

Rank	State/UT	Estimated Slum Households (2025, Millions)
1	Maharashtra	2.55
2	Andhra Pradesh	2.45
3	Uttar Pradesh	1.43
4	West Bengal	1.00
5	Madhya Pradesh	0.58
6	Tamil Nadu	0.58
7	Bihar	0.52
8	Rajasthan	0.50
9	Gujarat	0.42
10	Karnataka	0.38
11	Delhi	0.37
12	Odisha	0.37
13	Jharkhand	0.24
14	Chhattisgarh	0.23
15	Haryana	0.20
16	Punjab	0.17
17	Kerala	0.15
18	Telangana	0.15
19	Assam	0.11
20	Uttarakhand	0.04
21	Jammu and Kashmir	0.04
22	Himachal Pradesh	0.02
23	Tripura	0.02
24	Manipur	0.02
25	Meghalaya	0.01
26	Nagaland	0.01
27	Mizoram	0.01
28	Arunachal Pradesh	0.01
29	Sikkim	0.005
30	Goa	0.005
31	Puducherry	0.005
32	Chandigarh	0.004
33	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	0.002
34	Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	0.002
35	Ladakh	0.001
36	Lakshadweep	0.001

Slums in India in 2025 are densely populated areas characterized by inadequate housing, lack of clean water, and insufficient sanitation facilities, serving as residences for families pursuing employment opportunities in urban settings.

These regions are expanding rapidly as individuals migrate from rural areas.

This article provides an analysis based on an estimated ranking of slum households across India’s 28 states and 8 Union Territories (UTs) for the year 2025, detailing the statistics, exploring the reasons behind the varying prevalence of slums in different states, and revealing the underlying factors.

The estimates are derived from the Census 2011 data, reports from the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) for 2024, and trends from the World Bank, as comprehensive census data for 2025 will not be available until after 2026.

The estimate for 2025 indicates approximately 14.2 million slum households across the country, reflecting a 2% increase from the 13.92 million recorded in 2011.

Maharashtra ranks first with 2.55 million households, followed closely by Andhra Pradesh with 2.45 million, Uttar Pradesh with 1.43 million, and West Bengal with 1.00 million.

Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu each report 0.58 million households. Bihar has 0.52 million, while smaller Union Territories such as Lakshadweep and Ladakh each account for only 0.001 million households.

These slum households provide shelter for around 65 million individuals, which constitutes 17.4% of India’s urban population, according to PMAY-U.

The significant number in Maharashtra corresponds with the extensive slums found in Mumbai.

What accounts for Maharashtra’s predominance in slum households, while smaller UTs report negligible figures?

Let us explore this further.

Reasons Behind the Higher Number of Slum Households in Certain States

Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh

Maharashtra is home to 2.55 million slum households, primarily due to the influx of workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, drawn by the factories and film industry in Mumbai.

The city has witnessed a 2% annual increase in its 21,000 slums since 2011, with 50% of its 1.2 crore population residing in makeshift homes, according to the Census.

In Andhra Pradesh, 2.45 million slum households are concentrated in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, where port-related jobs attract approximately 1 lakh migrants each year.

Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal

Uttar Pradesh has 1.43 million slum households distributed across Lucknow and Kanpur, as rural families relocate for construction employment.

The state sees an annual addition of 50,000 slum homes. In West Bengal, 1.00 million households occupy the outskirts of Kolkata, where 40% of its 4.5 crore urban population lives in slums.

Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu

Madhya Pradesh has 0.58 million slum households that are expanding in Bhopal and Indore, driven by the demand for labor in textile mills.

Similarly, Tamil Nadu has 0.58 million slum households in Chennai, where auto manufacturing plants employ migrants who reside in tin-roofed shelters.

Bihar and Rajasthan

Bihar has 0.52 million slum households that have developed in Patna, as floods and droughts compel 2 lakh farmers to migrate to urban areas each year.

In Rajasthan, 0.50 million households have emerged in Jaipur, where job opportunities in tourism attract villagers.

Small Union Territories

Lakshadweep and Ladakh each have 0.001 million slum households, a reflection of their limited land availability and stringent construction regulations.

The low levels of migration in these areas help prevent the establishment of slums.

What Drives the Expansion of Slums?

Multiple factors account for the overall figures and variations among states.

Urban Employment

According to the World Bank, India’s urban population is projected to reach 40% by 2030, resulting in an influx of 10 million individuals into cities each year. Maharashtra attracts 25% of these migrants.

Deficiency in Housing

There is a shortfall of 18.78 million housing units in cities, as reported by PMAY-U 2024, which compels families to reside in slums.

Mumbai constructs merely 20,000 apartments annually, while the requirement stands at 1 lakh.

Poverty and Migration

With a poverty rate of 30%, Bihar contributes workers to Delhi and Mumbai, leading to the establishment of 0.52 million slum dwellings.

Affordable rent (₹2,000 per month) is preferable to the debts incurred in rural areas.

Inadequate Urban Planning

Only 30% of urban land is appropriately planned, according to MoHUA. The new capital of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati, has left existing slums unaddressed.

Are These Figures Trustworthy?

The estimate of 14.2 million is derived from scaling the Census 2011 figure (13.92 million) with a 2% increase based on PMAY-U data.

Rural slums may conceal an additional 10-15%, yet the counts for Mumbai and Chennai align with survey results. A complete census could result in an adjustment of ±5%.

What Solutions Can India Implement for Slums?

India must leverage PMAY-U to construct 1.2 crore homes by 2030, similar to Tamil Nadu’s achievement for 5 lakh families in 2024.

Job training initiatives in Bihar have reduced migration by 10%. In 2024, water and sanitation facilities in Maharashtra’s slums benefited 2 million residents.

Source

• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. (2024). Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U): Progress report 2023-24. Government of India.
• World Bank. (2023). Urbanization in India: Trends and projections 2020-2030.