Religion in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh is the fifth most populous state of India and has a diverse population comprising many religions and communities. As of the 2011 census, out of a population of 72.6 million, approximately 66 million (90.89%) identified themselves as followers of the Hindu religion, 4.77 million (6.57%) as Muslims or followers of Islam, 567,000 (0.78%) as Jains, 216,000 (0.30%) as Buddhists, and 213,000 (0.29%) as Christians. Additionally, 0.12% stated no religion and 1.04% identified with other religions.
Religion in Madhya Pradesh by Percentage
| # | Religion | Estimated Pop. 2024 | Percentage % (2011) |
| 1 | Hindu | 78,691,653 | 90.89% |
| 2 | Muslim | 5,688,240 | 6.57% |
| 3 | Jain | 675,316 | 0.78% |
| 4 | Buddhist | 259,737 | 0.30% |
| 5 | Christian | 251,079 | 0.29% |
| 6 | Sikh | 181,816 | 0.21% |
| 7 | Other religions and persuasions | 718,606 | 0.83% |
| 8 | Religion not stated | 112,553 | 0.13% |
Source: Census 2011
Religion in Madhya Pradesh – Rural Population
| # | Religion | Rural Pop. 2011 | Percentage % |
| 1 | Hindu | 49,827,046 | 94.80% |
| 2 | Muslim | 1,683,683 | 3.20% |
| 3 | Christian | 89,125 | 0.17% |
| 4 | Buddhist | 132,419 | 0.25% |
| 5 | Jain | 109,699 | 0.21% |
| 6 | Sikh | 55,152 | 0.10% |
| 7 | Other religions and persuasions | 592,365 | 1.13% |
| 8 | Religion not stated | 67,915 | 0.13% |
| Total | 52,557,404 |
Source: Census 2011
Religion in Madhya Pradesh – Urban Population
| # | Religion | Urban Pop. 2011 | Percentage % |
| 1 | Hindu | 16,180,075 | 80.62% |
| 2 | Muslim | 3,091,012 | 15.40% |
| 3 | Jain | 457,329 | 2.28% |
| 4 | Christian | 124,157 | 0.62% |
| 5 | Sikh | 96,260 | 0.48% |
| 6 | Buddhist | 83,633 | 0.42% |
| 7 | Other religions and persuasions | 7,229 | 0.04% |
| 8 | Religion not stated | 29,710 | 0.15% |
| Total | 20,069,405 |