Like-for-like census comparison
Peshawar District vs Quetta District
Compare Peshawar and Quetta using official 2023 census data. Population: 4,758,762 people versus 2,595,492 people, plus literacy, growth, density and urban share.
At a glance
| Measure | Peshawar | Quetta | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population2023 | 4,758,762 people | 2,595,492 people | Peshawar: 1.8× |
| Population growth a year2023 | 1.58% | 2.27% | Quetta: 0.69 percentage points higher |
| Area2023 | 1,518 sq km | 3,447 sq km | Quetta: 2.3× |
| People per sq km2023 | 3,134.9 | 753.0 | Peshawar: 4.2× |
| Share living in towns and cities2023 | 40.1% | 60.3% | Quetta: 20.3 percentage points higher |
| People per household2023 | 6.8 | 8.9 | Quetta: 1.3× |
| Literacy rate (age 10+)2023 | 53.3% | 56.3% | Quetta: 3.0 percentage points higher |
| Female literacy rate (age 10+)2023 | 41.1% | 47.0% | Quetta: 5.9 percentage points higher |
| Out-of-school children (age 5–16)2023 | 519,928 children | 276,511 children | Peshawar: 1.9× |
What stands out
For population, Peshawar: 1.8× (4,758,762 people versus 2,595,492 people).
For literacy rate (age 10+), Quetta: 3.0 percentage points higher (53.3% versus 56.3%).
For people per sq km, Peshawar: 4.2× (3,134.9 versus 753.0).
Values describe administrative areas at the 2023 census. They should not be read as current estimates or as a score of which place is “better”.
Questions about this comparison
- Which has more people, Peshawar or Quetta?
- For population, Peshawar: 1.8× (4,758,762 people versus 2,595,492 people).
- Is this a like-for-like comparison?
- Yes. Both places are district-level census units and every row uses the same indicator definition and source period.
- Are these city populations?
- No. These are administrative district totals. A district may include a central city, other urban areas and rural settlements.