Chengdu's 2026 population is now estimated at 10,163,400. In 1950, the population of Chengdu was 645,913. Chengdu has grown by 164,530 in the last year, which represents a 1.65% annual change. These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Chengdu, which typically includes Chengdu's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.
Chengdu is a city located in China that also serves as the capital of the Sichuan province. This city has grown over the years, in part due to a technology and innovation boom, although population growth has slowed in recent years. As of 2016, the population in Chengdu is 7,820,000.
Chengdu is a major city located in Western China. It is the provincial capital of Sichuan. Its population of over 7.8 million makes it the 5th most populous agglomeration in China. Over 260 Fortune 500 countries have offices in Chengdu, and it is home to over 31,000 companies. This city has become known as one of the most innovative in the world, and it is a leader in its country in finance, culture, communications, and transportation.
The city of Chengdu covers a large area of 14,380 square kilometers. The urban population density is approximately 6,500 people living per square kilometer.
In 2016, Chengdu had a population of 7.8 million. However, the last census, taken in 2010, showed that the administrative area is much larger, with a population of over 14 million. Based on this data, Chengdu is the 5th most populous urban agglomeration in China. The province of Sichuan is the 4th largest in China. The area has become known for technology and innovation, industry and transportation. It is the location of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, which is one of the busiest airports in the world.
The majority of the population of Chengdu and the entire Sichuan province is Han Chinese. Other minority groups located in the region include Tibetan, Qiang, Yi, and Nakhi. The city also has a large number of Tibetans, with about 30,000 Tibetans living in the city as permanent residents and a floating population of approximately 200,000. The opportunities available in the urban area is the primary appeal for Tibetans who come to settle in Chengdu. The city also offers plenty of educational opportunities, as it is home to 49 universities and colleges, and over 140,000 residents graduated from these schools in 2010.
The most commonly practiced religions in Chengdu include Chinese folk religions, Chinese Buddhism and Taoism. Surveys completed in 2007 and 2008 showed that over 10% of the province follow cults of ancestors and that less than 1% of the population are Christians. Sino-Tibetan languages, including Sichuanese Mandarin, are the primary languages in the city and the province.
Significant industries include finance, electronics, IT, modern logistics and trade, modern agriculture, software, and energy, to name a few. The city has four industrial zones, and over 250 Fortune 500 companies have branches set up in the city.
Chengdu is also known for its Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and reserves set up to protect this endangered species, of which 80% live within the province.
Research has shown that the Chengdu area was inhabited over 4,000 years ago. In the early 4th Century,Kaiming IX – the king of Shu – relocated the capital of Pixian to the site of Chengdu. After the state of Qin conquered the state of Shu, Qin general Zhang Yi built a new city. Over the next 2,000 years, the influence of Chengdu began to spread throughout Western China, becoming known as “the southwestern metropolis.” It also created the first widely used paper money. In 1644, Zhang Xianzhong established the Daxi Kingdom, and it is rumored that he killed a large number of people in the city. This led to depopulation that resulted in resettlement throughout the Qing dynasty.
In 1911, the Wuchang Uprising overthrew the Qing dynasty. During World War II, the capital city was relocated, and eventually, the government retreated to the Sichuan province to escape from the Japanese. With them, they brought academics, businesspeople, and others who founded many of the businesses that are still thriving in the city today. In modern times, Chengdu houses the headquarters for the Chengdu Military Region and has a broad industrial base that includes chemicals, smelting, and manufacturing that make the city one of the world’s most important commercial and cultural centers.
Chengdu’s population is expected to continue to grow at a steady rate over the next few decades. This laid-back, cosmopolitan city offers educational and job opportunities, as well as a lower cost of living when compared to other Chinese agglomerations. In 2020, the city is expected to have over 8.7 million people. In 2030, the population is expected to exceed 10 million.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | 31,049,800 | 1.86% |
| Beijing | 22,983,400 | 1.71% |
| Chongqing | 18,531,600 | 1.98% |
| Guangzhou | 15,147,900 | 1.81% |
| Tianjin | 14,933,500 | 1.56% |
| Shenzhen | 13,770,000 | 1.66% |
| Nanjing | 10,380,200 | 2.02% |
| Wuhan | 9,121,840 | 1.51% |
| Suzhou | 8,802,000 | 2.43% |
| Hangzhou | 8,749,670 | 1.85% |
| Shenyang | 8,110,930 | 1.71% |
| Foshan | 7,930,870 | 1.46% |
| Dongguan | 7,876,240 | 1.33% |
| Dalian | 6,467,000 | 1.88% |
| Qingdao | 6,325,350 | 1.73% |
| Zhengzhou | 6,282,970 | 2.06% |
| Urumqi | 5,243,920 | 2.18% |
| Changsha | 5,221,630 | 1.82% |
| Kunming | 5,044,260 | 1.79% |
| Changchun | 4,975,060 | 1.72% |
| Hefei | 4,924,050 | 1.94% |
| Ningbo | 4,869,300 | 2.08% |
| Shantou | 4,815,660 | 1.65% |
| Shijiazhuang | 4,612,020 | 1.7% |
| Nanning | 4,467,920 | 1.92% |
| Changzhou | 4,265,190 | 2.04% |
| Nanchang | 4,184,360 | 1.96% |
| Wenzhou | 4,170,240 | 1.88% |
| Xiamen | 4,145,340 | 1.66% |
| Guiyang | 3,806,320 | 1.86% |
| Wuxi | 3,617,260 | 1.64% |
| Wuxi | 3,617,260 | 1.64% |
| Lanzhou | 3,491,820 | 1.78% |
| Handan | 3,224,510 | 2.07% |
| Zhongshan | 3,137,750 | 1.42% |
| Weifang | 3,127,020 | 2.05% |
| Shaoxing | 3,013,160 | 2.1% |
| Yantai | 2,956,420 | 2% |
| Huizhou | 2,948,280 | 1.99% |
| Zibo | 2,922,540 | 1.61% |
| Luoyang | 2,779,070 | 1.96% |
| Luoyang | 2,779,070 | 1.96% |
| Luoyang | 2,779,070 | 1.96% |
| Nantong | 2,666,220 | 2.01% |
| Hohhot | 2,552,380 | 2.06% |
| Baotou | 2,467,750 | 1.73% |
| Putian | 2,371,140 | 2.42% |
| Yangzhou | 2,255,980 | 1.77% |
| Baoding | 2,228,190 | 1.74% |
| Haikou | 2,132,010 | 1.75% |
| Haikou | 2,132,010 | 1.75% |
| Daqing | 2,123,650 | 1.83% |
| Quanzhou | 2,007,700 | 2.09% |
| Zhuhai | 2,004,290 | 1.81% |
| Datong | 1,986,680 | 1.81% |
| Datong | 1,986,680 | 1.81% |
| Jiangmen | 1,855,070 | 1.56% |
| Yichang | 1,838,240 | 2.1% |
| Xiangyang | 1,830,460 | 1.59% |
| Yinchuan | 1,830,390 | 1.93% |
| Qinhuangdao | 1,798,180 | 2.01% |
| Anyang | 1,778,260 | 2.28% |
| Xining | 1,773,780 | 1.89% |
| Hengyang | 1,772,860 | 1.94% |
| Anshan | 1,763,740 | 1.46% |
| Jilin | 1,744,980 | 1.49% |
| Zhangjiakou | 1,626,900 | 1.78% |
| Yiwu | 1,597,590 | 2.16% |
| Huainan | 1,589,370 | 1.6% |
| Chaozhou | 1,569,150 | 1.56% |
| Jiaxing | 1,546,760 | 2.34% |
| Weihai | 1,529,560 | 2.01% |
| Kaifeng | 1,497,220 | 2.03% |
| Rizhao | 1,488,120 | 2% |
| Nanchong | 1,473,860 | 2.01% |
| Zunyi | 1,460,060 | 1.81% |
| Zhanjiang | 1,450,230 | 1.74% |
| Shiyan | 1,445,920 | 1.97% |
| Yingkou | 1,412,510 | 1.96% |
| Jieyang | 1,385,020 | 2.22% |
| Jinhua | 1,359,810 | 2.24% |
| Liupanshui | 1,341,760 | 2.44% |
| Puning | 1,334,000 | 1.88% |
| Chifeng | 1,328,870 | 1.82% |
| Zhuzhou | 1,320,890 | 1.65% |
| Huaibei | 1,315,880 | 1.89% |
| Pizhou | 1,312,740 | 2.38% |
| Luohe | 1,311,020 | 2.52% |
| Binzhou | 1,290,440 | 2.12% |
| Binzhou | 1,290,440 | 2.12% |
| Jinzhou | 1,281,950 | 1.69% |
| Jinzhou | 1,281,950 | 1.69% |
| Benxi | 1,278,180 | 1.59% |
| Guilin | 1,259,140 | 1.63% |
| Wenling | 1,208,220 | 1.97% |
| Xinxiang | 1,200,000 | 1.63% |
| Fuyang | 1,192,260 | 1.88% |
| Fuyang | 1,192,260 | 1.88% |
| Zaozhuang | 1,186,080 | 1.5% |
| Chenzhou | 1,177,330 | 2.33% |
| Shangrao | 1,174,700 | 1.83% |
| Zhaoqing | 1,171,700 | 1.84% |
| Leshan | 1,166,520 | 2.07% |
| Dezhou | 1,156,460 | 2.01% |
| Xuchang | 1,139,910 | 2.04% |
| Huzhou | 1,135,190 | 1.87% |
| Qujing | 1,114,880 | 2.08% |
| Guiping | 1,113,720 | 2.46% |
| Yueyang | 1,095,900 | 1.47% |
| Xintai | 1,094,420 | 1.99% |
| Chengde | 1,076,600 | 2.31% |
| Leiyang | 1,069,680 | 2.5% |
| Laiwu | 1,051,310 | 1.93% |
| Jiujiang | 1,043,180 | 1.83% |
| Guigang | 1,030,910 | 1.92% |
| Hengshui | 1,030,900 | 2.2% |
| Mudanjiang | 1,025,590 | 1.62% |
| Xinyu | 1,025,140 | 2.15% |
| Linfen | 1,024,140 | 2.14% |
| Zhangzhou | 1,022,670 | 2.02% |
| Yangjiang | 1,014,020 | 1.81% |
| Baishan | 1,005,740 | 2.31% |
| Deyang | 1,004,890 | 2.01% |
| Jiangyin | 1,003,350 | 2.12% |
| Bengbu | 990,361 | 1.56% |
| Changzhi | 966,677 | 1.83% |
| Dandong | 962,140 | 1.55% |
| Changde | 955,997 | 1.89% |
| Quzhou | 953,084 | 2.51% |
| Shangqiu | 952,787 | 1.89% |
| Liaoyang | 946,597 | 1.61% |
| Xingtai | 937,021 | 1.74% |
| Huangshi | 924,002 | 1.67% |
| Xinghua | 919,964 | 1.95% |
| Fuxin | 917,396 | 1.52% |
| Yibin | 912,745 | 1.7% |
| Huaihua | 912,663 | 2.26% |
| Xinyang | 906,367 | 1.8% |
| Xiaogan | 904,876 | 1.91% |
| Yangquan | 902,484 | 1.79% |
| Bozhou | 896,567 | 2.22% |
| Tianshui | 895,618 | 2% |
| Kunshan | 893,198 | 2.24% |
| Zhuji | 885,148 | 1.81% |
| Jincheng | 882,169 | 2.19% |
| Zhumadian | 870,712 | 2.27% |
| Anqiu | 869,644 | 2.6% |
| Taixing | 864,646 | 1.92% |
| Heze | 864,086 | 1.48% |
| Langfang | 863,203 | 1.98% |
| Haicheng | 861,388 | 1.56% |
| Liaocheng | 860,764 | 1.76% |
| Gaomi | 860,282 | 2.18% |
| Hanchuan | 857,519 | 2.17% |
| Jiaozuo | 832,142 | 1.47% |
| Linhai | 830,096 | 2% |
| Anqing | 826,123 | 1.79% |
| Dengzhou | 822,678 | 2.3% |
| Shaoguan | 816,261 | 1.39% |
| Yuncheng | 814,924 | 2.22% |
| Yuxi | 814,376 | 2.34% |
| Yanji | 808,147 | 1.95% |
| Zigong | 803,465 | 1.5% |
| Tongliao | 802,817 | 1.84% |
| Qingyuan | 802,697 | 1.52% |
| Dazhou | 800,986 | 2.02% |
| Wuzhou | 798,828 | 1.86% |
| Zhangjiagang | 792,546 | 2.22% |
| Dongtai | 788,212 | 1.96% |
| Jiamusi | 786,151 | 1.55% |
| Ankang | 784,537 | 2.37% |
| Yuyao | 772,356 | 1.8% |
| Loudi | 763,088 | 2.14% |
| Bijie | 762,945 | 2.15% |
| Renqiu | 761,689 | 2.11% |
| Zhoukou | 760,893 | 2% |
| Puyang | 744,856 | 2.05% |
| Enshi | 742,886 | 2.55% |
| Qinzhou | 739,562 | 1.86% |
| Haimen | 728,527 | 1.96% |
| Sanya | 727,336 | 1.96% |
| Ezhou | 727,046 | 1.49% |
| Zhoushan | 721,665 | 1.66% |
| Wuhai | 712,859 | 1.76% |
| Neijiang | 702,825 | 1.49% |
| Anshun | 699,457 | 1.97% |
| Hegang | 687,913 | 1.42% |
| Hanzhong | 679,647 | 1.71% |
| Zhaodong | 660,871 | 2.18% |
| Fuqing | 659,307 | 1.74% |
| Daye | 658,981 | 1.81% |
| Siping | 658,264 | 1.61% |
| Gaozhou | 654,954 | 2.29% |
| Xinyi | 652,853 | 1.98% |
| Tonghua | 639,888 | 1.67% |
| Jiaozhou | 639,629 | 1.94% |
| Zaoyang | 638,673 | 1.79% |
| Dongyang | 638,380 | 1.74% |
| Xiantao | 633,933 | 1.42% |
| Guangyuan | 632,132 | 2.01% |
| Hebi | 629,450 | 1.64% |
| Weinan | 620,130 | 1.7% |
| Cangzhou | 614,014 | 1.53% |
| Feicheng | 610,228 | 1.61% |
| Feicheng | 610,228 | 1.61% |
| Tongchuan | 606,956 | 1.63% |
| Haining | 606,908 | 1.88% |
| Gaoyou | 604,659 | 2.12% |
| Taishan | 604,141 | 1.88% |
| Qingzhou | 602,141 | 1.92% |
| Dali | 601,663 | 1.99% |
| Chuzhou | 600,938 | 1.88% |
| Shouguang | 598,718 | 1.57% |
| Laixi | 597,007 | 2.07% |
| Chaoyang | 590,875 | 1.54% |
| Chaoyang | 590,875 | 1.54% |
| Pingdu | 590,175 | 1.72% |
| Shangyu | 584,591 | 1.84% |
| Shizuishan | 584,579 | 1.79% |
| Heyuan | 579,113 | 1.6% |
| Qianjiang | 566,830 | 1.62% |
| Jinjiang | 563,800 | 1.76% |
| Jinjiang | 563,800 | 1.76% |
| Zhuanghe | 559,032 | 2.18% |
| Songyuan | 558,847 | 1.5% |
| Chizhou | 555,991 | 2.25% |
| Jingmen | 549,579 | 1.72% |
| Nanping | 548,105 | 1.67% |
| Chaohu | 541,343 | 1.67% |
| Shuangyashan | 539,190 | 1.38% |
| Zhongxiang | 537,757 | 1.53% |
| Beihai | 522,586 | 1.39% |
| Wafangdian | 501,662 | 1.51% |
| Fengcheng | 497,623 | 1.63% |
| Suizhou | 488,811 | 1.55% |
| Zhangye | 482,055 | 1.5% |
| Shanwei | 474,689 | 1.6% |
| Botou | 473,330 | 2.17% |
| Suihua | 465,930 | 1.6% |
| Gaoping | 465,537 | 2.45% |
| Huangshan | 464,177 | 1.97% |
| Laibin | 459,987 | 1.8% |
| Pingliang | 456,608 | 2.18% |
| Jiuquan | 455,710 | 2.13% |
| Hami | 454,501 | 1.81% |
| Changji | 448,933 | 1.83% |
| Wuwei | 446,906 | 1.68% |
| Tieling | 445,145 | 1.44% |
| Wanning | 444,617 | 2.32% |
| Baiyin | 442,131 | 1.52% |
| Meizhou | 435,610 | 1.54% |
| Xinzhou | 431,830 | 1.9% |
| Xinzhou | 431,830 | 1.9% |
| Jingdezhen | 430,133 | 1.47% |
| Laizhou | 421,421 | 1.37% |
| Laiyang | 418,853 | 1.45% |
| Wenchang | 417,401 | 2.01% |
| Huazhou | 410,358 | 1.9% |
| Huazhou | 410,358 | 1.9% |
| Dashiqiao | 409,221 | 1.63% |
| Qufu | 408,834 | 1.68% |
| Sanming | 408,702 | 1.55% |
| Gongzhuling | 406,483 | 1.5% |
| Jiayuguan | 405,774 | 2.21% |
| Lengshuijiang | 405,080 | 2.05% |
| Yushu | 404,628 | 1.79% |
| Anlu | 403,390 | 2.05% |
| Yunfu | 401,824 | 1.68% |
| Fujin | 395,548 | 2.18% |
| Liaoyuan | 394,691 | 1.26% |
| Zhaoyuan | 391,329 | 1.73% |
| Zhaoyuan | 391,329 | 1.73% |
| Macheng | 389,900 | 1.61% |
| Zhaotong | 389,673 | 1.88% |
| Manzhouli | 389,652 | 1.92% |
| Ningde | 383,856 | 1.87% |
| Wuchuan | 374,141 | 1.39% |
| Xianning | 373,664 | 1.35% |
| Baicheng | 366,313 | 1.57% |
| Dingzhou | 366,259 | 1.76% |
| Hailin | 358,365 | 1.62% |
| Shihezi | 353,858 | 1.4% |
| Yangchun | 328,413 | 1.42% |
