As of the 2011 census, the core municipal area of Dharamshala had a population of around 30,000, but the municipal boundaries were expanded significantly in 2015, bringing the estimated population to over 53,000.
The demographic makeup is highly diverse. The indigenous population primarily comprises the Gaddi (a traditionally semi-nomadic pastoralist community) and Kangri people. McLeod Ganj and its surrounding neighborhoods host a large community of Tibetan exiles. Because of its status as an administrative and educational hub, the city also has a large population of transient government workers, university students, and long-term foreign expatriates. Hinduism and Buddhism are the dominant religions, and the literacy rate is exceptionally high, typically exceeding 85%.