According to the 2011 Census of India, Yanam has a population of approximately 55,626 residents, though recent estimates suggest this number has grown significantly. Due to the district's small physical size, the population density is quite high, exceeding 1,854 people per square kilometer.
The demographic fabric is overwhelmingly Telugu, distinguishing it from the Tamil and Malayalam speakers of Puducherry's other districts (Pondicherry, Karaikal, and Mahe). A small but historically significant fraction of the population holds French citizenship or speaks French, a legacy of the colonial era. The majority of the population practices Hinduism, with notable Christian and Muslim communities. Literacy rates in Yanam are relatively high, hovering around 79%, driven by the educational infrastructure provided by the Union Territory administration.