National Statistical Office · NSO Nepal

Nepal Housing & Population
Census Dashboard 2021

An interactive policy overview of population distribution, household structure, energy access, and housing quality across Nepal's 77 districts.

29.2M Total Population
6.67M Households
77 Districts
7 Provinces
65% Urban Share

National Snapshot

NHPC 2021
65.0%
Urban Population
53.4%
Tarai Region Share
4.37
Avg Household Size
92.2%
Grid Electricity Access
51.0%
Use Fuelwood to Cook
44.3%
Use LPG to Cook
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Energy Poverty GapKarnali has 82% fuelwood dependency — the highest province. Humla district reaches 98.5%.
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Informal Housing30.7% of households nationally have mud-bonded brick walls. Karnali stands at 80%.
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Electrification Progress92.2% of households access grid electricity — a major leap from 2011 Census figures.
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Large Households in MadheshMadhesh Tarai districts average 5.1–5.9 persons per household — straining services.

Population by Province

Total population in thousands (NHPC 2021)

Population by Ecological Region

Mountain · Hill · Tarai distribution

Urban vs Rural Population Split

By province — showing urbanization gradient

National Cooking Fuel Mix

Weighted average across all households

📋 Key Policy Takeaways — Overview

  • Nepal's population is 65% urban but growth is heavily concentrated in Bagmati (Kathmandu Valley) and Madhesh, creating infrastructure pressure.
  • The Tarai (plains) hosts 53% of the population but spans only a narrow geographic strip — urban planning and flood resilience are critical priorities.
  • Despite 92% grid electricity access, over half of households still cook with fuelwood — indicating an urgent clean cooking transition is needed beyond electrification.
  • Karnali Province is an outlier on nearly every development indicator: highest fuelwood use, highest solar dependency, lowest cement housing quality, lowest household assets.

Population & Household Distribution

Demographics
15.6M
Tarai Population
11.6M
Hill Population
1.77M
Mountain Population
4.79
Tarai HH Size
4.42
Mountain HH Size
4.08
Hill HH Size

Household Count by Province

Urban vs Rural households (thousands)

Average Household Size by Province

Persons per household — larger = more dependents per unit

Population Density by Region Type

Share of national population vs ecological zone

Urbanization Rate by Province

% of provincial population classified urban

📋 Key Policy Takeaways — Population

  • Madhesh province has the largest average household sizes (5.1–5.9), suggesting higher fertility rates and need for targeted family planning, maternal health, and school infrastructure investment.
  • Karnali and Sudurpachim have the lowest populations but the most challenging topography — per-capita infrastructure investment must be higher to ensure equity.
  • Bagmati's household count (1.57M) is disproportionately large relative to territory, reflecting rapid urban in-migration. Rental housing policy and urban land management are urgent priorities.
  • Mountain districts show institutional population as a notable share — driven by army/police outposts — a factor in service planning.

Housing Quality & Construction

Infrastructure
52.2%
Cement Brick Walls
30.7%
Mud Brick Walls
74.3%
Bagmati Cement Walls
80.3%
Karnali Mud Walls

Wall Material: Mud vs Cement by Province

% of households — indicator of structural quality & seismic resilience

Roof Material by Province

Cement & tile roofing — proxy for durable construction

Provincial Housing Quality Index

Cement wall share — higher = better structural quality

📋 Key Policy Takeaways — Housing

  • Karnali Province has 80% mud-bonded walls — the highest nationally — creating severe seismic vulnerability. Post-2015 earthquake reconstruction investment has yet to fully reach these areas.
  • Sudurpachim (47% mud) and Madhesh (10% mud, high cement) present a contrasting picture: Madhesh has better wall quality but structurally dense neighborhoods with poor sanitation access.
  • Bagmati's 74% cement wall share reflects valley urbanization but also creates risks of unregulated vertical construction without proper planning codes.
  • Cement roof share in Madhesh Tarai districts is 25–47%, indicating high metal sheet use — poor insulation leading to heat stress and energy poverty in a hot climate.
  • Safe housing standards and subsidized construction materials should be prioritized for Karnali and Sudurpachim — both remote and high-risk zones.

Energy Access & Cooking Fuels

Clean Energy
92.2%
Grid Electricity
6.6%
Solar Lighting
44.3%
LPG Cooking
51.0%
Fuelwood Cooking
1.18%
Biogas Cooking
47.9%
Karnali Solar

Cooking Fuel Mix by Province

Fuelwood vs LPG vs other fuels — stacked by % of households

Lighting Source by Province

Grid electricity vs solar vs kerosene — access gap visible in Karnali

Fuelwood Dependency: Top 10 Districts

% of households using fuelwood as primary cooking fuel

LPG Adoption: Top 10 Districts

% of households using LPG — concentrated in urban centers

📋 Key Policy Takeaways — Energy

  • Nepal's clean cooking transition is far behind electrification: 92% have electricity but only 44% cook with LPG. Indoor air pollution from fuelwood affects millions.
  • Karnali is the standout crisis point — 82% fuelwood, 48% still rely on solar for lighting. Grid extension and clean cooking subsidies must be co-prioritized here.
  • Animal dung cooking is concentrated in Madhesh (10.9%) — particularly Saptari (30.5%) and Siraha (17.9%) — linked to lower incomes and cultural practices. Biogas plants are an appropriate local solution.
  • LPG adoption is highly urbanized: Kathmandu (97%), Bhaktapur (91%), Lalitpur (89%), Kaski (83%). Rural LPG supply chains and cylinder subsidies need strengthening.
  • Biogas potential remains underdeveloped at 1.18% nationally, despite Nepal's agriculture base. Public investment in biogas digesters could create a renewable cooking fuel cluster.

Household Asset Ownership

Living Standards
49.4%
TV Ownership
15.0%
Computer/Laptop
27.3%
Motorcycle
35.2%
Bicycle
53.1%
Fan
23.7%
Refrigerator

National Asset Ownership Rates

% of households owning each asset — national weighted average

Asset Ownership by Province

TV, computer & refrigerator as proxy for household prosperity

Digital Access Gap: Computer Ownership by Province

% of households owning a computer or laptop

📋 Key Policy Takeaways — Assets

  • The digital divide is stark: Kathmandu Valley averages 45–49% computer ownership vs Karnali at 2–4%. Remote education and digital economy access require targeted hardware subsidies and connectivity investment.
  • Fan ownership correlates strongly with heat exposure — Jhapa (85%), Morang (82%) and Sarlahi (74%) have high fan usage reflecting climate stress in Tarai. Air conditioning remains below 1% nationally, but will rise with income growth.
  • Motorcycle ownership is highest in Tarai districts (30–43%) indicating the key role of two-wheelers in last-mile connectivity — electrification of motorcycles is a tractable rural clean transport policy.
  • Refrigerator penetration at 23.7% nationally suggests cold chain infrastructure is inadequate for rural food security and vaccine delivery.
  • Washing machine ownership is below 5% — but concentrated in Kathmandu Valley (14–18%), showing income inequality in domestic appliance access.

District Explorer

77 Districts
DistrictProvinceRegion Pop (K)Urban %HH Size LPG Cook %Fuelwood % Grid Elec %Cement Wall %