Quick facts
Salem overview
Salem (orange) and the other large cities of India
Salem lies in Tamil Nadu in India at 11.65°N, 78.16°E, about 283 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Kolkata (UTC+5:30).
It is smaller than Mysuru (920,550) and larger than Gurugram (886,519). The largest city in India is Mumbai with 12,691,836 people.
The nearest large city is Kumarapalayam, about 54 km away, followed by Erode (58 km).
India as a whole has a live population of 1,480,417,619 (+0.9% a year) and ranks #1 of 238 countries — see the India population page for the full statistics and the India atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Salem
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Kumarapalayam Tamil Nadu | 54 km | 195,071 |
| Erode Tamil Nadu | 58 km | 521,891 |
| Karur Tamil Nadu | 78 km | 234,191 |
| Kallakurichi Tamil Nadu | 88 km | 1,682,687 |
| Tiruppur Tamil Nadu | 106 km | 963,173 |
| Tiruchirappalli Tamil Nadu | 110 km | 1,022,518 |
| Tiruvannamalai Tamil Nadu | 119 km | 145,278 |
| Hosūr Tamil Nadu | 125 km | 229,528 |
Largest cities in India
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Salem?
Salem has about 917,414 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Salem the capital of India?
No — Salem is the 60th largest city of India.
How big is Salem compared with the rest of India?
Its 917,414 residents are 0.1% of the 1,480,417,619 people living in India today. Mumbai is larger with 12,691,836 people.
Where is Salem?
In Tamil Nadu, India, at latitude 11.65 and longitude 78.16, 283 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Kumarapalayam (54 km), Erode (58 km), Karur (78 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Salem Population 2026 — India. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/india/salem/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/india/salem/">Salem Population 2026 — India</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.