Ho Chi Minh City's 2026 population is now estimated at 10,545,905. In 1999, the population of Ho Chi Minh City was 5,034,058. Ho Chi Minh City has grown by 237,258 in the last year, which represents a 2.3% annual change. These population values and projections come from Vietnam province census series 1999-2019 via CityPopulation official attribution and World Population Review Internal Projections .
Vietnam is a large country with a population of almost 93 million people. The biggest city is Ho Chi Minh City, which locally also goes by the name of Saigon. The name is derived from the previous name of the city when it was part of the French colony of Cochin-China before the reunification of north and south Vietnam.
The current population of Ho Chi Minh City is difficult to determine as the most recent census was performed in 2009. According to that census, the population of Ho Chi Minh City stood at 7,521,130 people. 2017 estimates from the General Statistics offices give a number closer to 8,444,600 - showing the continued growth of the city. The only city to come close to the overall population of Ho Chi Minh city is the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, which has a population of 6.4 million and a population density of 5,000 per square mile. The total population of Ho Chi Minh city accounts for 8.34% of all inhabitants of Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh City covers a sizeable surface area with a total of 2,061.2 square kilometers (795.3 square miles). The city is quite densely populated, but somehow it all seems to work as Ho Chi Minh City continues to grow. The population density states that 4,097 individuals are residing per square kilometer (approximately 10,610 residents per square mile) within the city.
Ho Chi Minh City may not seem as though it would be very diverse in terms of religion, but with 50% of the inhabitants actively practicing the teachings of Buddhism, there is plenty of room for other religious faiths. While 34% of the population has no religious affiliation, 12% identifies as Roman Catholic and 4% practice other religions such as Hao Hao, Cao Dai, Hinduism, and Islam.
The cities with the lowest unemployment rates tend to have better opportunities for residents as well as those looking to move into the city. The whole of Vietnam has proven to be resilient in this respect. 80% of people laid off in the country have already found jobs before the layoff takes effect. The unemployment rating in Ho Chi Minh City is currently 5.45%, which is remarkably low compared to other cities throughout the world that maintain a much higher rating, sometimes into double digits.
Many cities throughout the world maintain a network of tunnels beneath the city. Ho Chi Minh City is one of these cities and has a well-developed infrastructure of tunnels beneath the city that were used during the various wars to transport soldiers and goods safely. There are some parts of the tunnel system that have since fallen into disrepair, but much of it remains intact. Visitors to the city often take tours into the tunnels where they learn about the conditions during the war. Some even allow guests to sample life through a traditional meal that would have been eaten by soldiers in the tunnels.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City | 10,545,905 | 2.3% |
| Hanoi | 9,406,046 | 2.24% |
| Thanh Hoa | 3,817,771 | 0.68% |
| Nghe An | 3,653,651 | 1.34% |
| Dong Nai | 3,612,068 | 2.22% |
| Binh Duong | 3,427,548 | 5.06% |
| Hai Phong City | 2,174,190 | 1% |
| Hai Duong | 2,035,389 | 1.05% |
| Bac Giang | 2,002,351 | 1.5% |
| Dak Lak | 1,970,582 | 0.76% |
| Thai Binh | 1,917,525 | 0.43% |
| Long An | 1,891,256 | 1.63% |
| Tien Giang | 1,831,514 | 0.54% |
| An Giang | 1,759,727 | -1.15% |
| Kien Giang | 1,747,867 | 0.2% |
| Nam Dinh | 1,747,733 | -0.26% |
| Gia Lai | 1,707,743 | 1.74% |
| Bac Ninh | 1,676,677 | 2.94% |
| Phu Tho | 1,576,568 | 1.07% |
| Dong Thap | 1,554,237 | -0.41% |
| Quang Nam | 1,549,505 | 0.51% |
| Binh Dinh | 1,487,235 | 0% |
| Quang Ninh | 1,458,801 | 1.44% |
| Thai Nguyen | 1,415,283 | 1.37% |
| Son La | 1,385,243 | 1.5% |
| Lam Dong | 1,379,374 | 0.88% |
| Hung Yen | 1,348,243 | 1.06% |
| Da Nang City | 1,346,940 | 2.48% |
| Ha Tinh | 1,333,990 | 0.49% |
| Ben Tre | 1,311,725 | 0.26% |
| Khanh Hoa | 1,285,319 | 0.62% |
| Binh Thuan | 1,277,521 | 0.53% |
| Vinh Phuc | 1,270,550 | 1.42% |
| Can Tho City | 1,268,975 | 0.39% |
| Ba Ria - Vung Tau | 1,267,981 | 1.43% |
| Tay Ninh | 1,246,845 | 0.92% |
| Quang Ngai | 1,242,253 | 0.12% |
| Ca Mau | 1,185,829 | -0.1% |
| Thua Thien - Hue | 1,158,385 | 0.37% |
| Soc Trang | 1,138,440 | -0.75% |
| Binh Phuoc | 1,089,288 | 1.31% |
| Ninh Binh | 1,045,500 | 0.89% |
| Vinh Long | 1,021,452 | -0.02% |
| Tra Vinh | 1,013,500 | 0.06% |
| Ha Giang | 959,451 | 1.67% |
| Bac Lieu | 944,515 | 0.58% |
| Quang Binh | 932,594 | 0.58% |
| Hoa Binh | 905,939 | 0.84% |
| Ha Nam | 904,485 | 0.84% |
| Yen Bai | 882,643 | 1.04% |
| Phu Yen | 880,556 | 0.12% |
| Tuyen Quang | 829,734 | 0.8% |
| Lao Cai | 824,254 | 1.74% |
| Lang Son | 818,001 | 0.65% |
| Dak Nong | 736,009 | 2.43% |
| Hau Giang | 716,484 | -0.33% |
| Dien Bien | 688,844 | 2.02% |
| Quang Tri | 657,357 | 0.55% |
| Kon Tum | 634,083 | 2.31% |
| Ninh Thuan | 608,979 | 0.44% |
| Cao Bang | 547,178 | 0.45% |
| Lai Chau | 535,611 | 2.19% |
| Bac Kan | 328,771 | 0.66% |
