As of the 2011 Indian Census, the Silchar Municipal Board area had a population of 172,830, while the broader Urban Agglomeration reached 229,136. Current estimates suggest steady growth, with the urban population likely exceeding 250,000 as of the mid-2020s.
The demographic landscape of Silchar is culturally distinct from the rest of Assam. The vast majority of the population speaks Sylheti, a dialect of Bengali, making Bengali the dominant cultural and linguistic force in the city. There are also significant communities of Assamese, Hindi, Manipuri, and Bishnupriya Manipuri speakers, alongside tribal populations such as the Dimasa and Kuki communities.
In terms of religion, Hinduism is the majority faith, practiced by over 86% of the city's residents. Islam is the second-largest religion (approx. 12%), with smaller minorities of Christians, Jains, and Sikhs. Silchar boasts a remarkably high literacy rate, hovering around 90%, reflecting the city's historical emphasis on education and its numerous academic institutions.
