According to the 2011 census Palakkad district has a population of 2,810,892, roughly equal to the nation of Jamaica or the US state of Utah. This gives it a ranking of 138th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 7.39%. Palakkad has a sex ratio of 1067 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 89.32%. Palakkad city has a literacy rate of 94.20%