Census Town Classification

A Census Town is a settlement treated as urban by the Census because it meets specified demographic and economic criteria, even though it has not been legally notified as an urban local body. It is therefore a census-based urban category, distinct from a statutory town created under state law.

Three mandatory demographic criteria

A settlement must satisfy all three conditions simultaneously to be classified as a Census Town:

• It must have a minimum population of 5,000.
• At least 75 per cent of the male main working population must be engaged in non-agricultural pursuits.
• It must have a population density of at least 400 persons per square kilometre.

Administrative position

A Census Town meets the Census criteria for urban characteristics but is not constituted as a statutory town. It generally remains under rural local government, unlike a statutory town established under law as a municipality, municipal corporation, cantonment board or notified town area committee.

Why the distinction matters

The category captures urbanisation beyond municipal boundaries, including settlements whose occupational structure, population and density have become urban even though their legal-administrative status remains rural.