Pakistan Cities by Population: The 2023 Census Ranking
Pakistan’s 2023 digital census — the country’s first, and South Asia’s first — reset the population ranking of every city. Here are the definitive figures: the top 10, the biggest movers, and what the numbers reveal.
Quick answer: Pakistan’s largest cities by population (2023 census): 1. Karachi 18,868,021 · 2. Lahore 13,004,135 · 3. Faisalabad 3,691,999 · 4. Rawalpindi 3,357,612 · 5. Gujranwala 2,511,118 · 6. Multan 2,215,381 · 7. Hyderabad 1,921,275 · 8. Peshawar 1,905,975 · 9. Quetta 1,565,546 · 10. Islamabad 1,108,872.
The top 10
| Rank | City | 2023 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karachi | 18,868,021 | 14,916,456 |
| 2 | Lahore | 13,004,135 | 11,126,285 |
| 3 | Faisalabad | 3,691,999 | 3,204,726 |
| 4 | Rawalpindi | 3,357,612 | 2,098,231 |
| 5 | Gujranwala | 2,511,118 | 2,027,001 |
| 6 | Multan | 2,215,381 | 1,871,843 |
| 7 | Hyderabad | 1,921,275 | 1,734,309 |
| 8 | Peshawar | 1,905,975 | 1,970,042 |
| 9 | Quetta | 1,565,546 | 1,001,205 |
| 10 | Islamabad | 1,108,872 | 1,009,832 |
Biggest movers since 2017
Rawalpindi grew fastest among the giants — +60% (2.10M → 3.36M) — while Quetta surged +56% (1.00M → 1.57M). Karachi added nearly 4 million people (+26.5%); Lahore added 1.9 million (+16.9%). Notably, Peshawar’s city-proper count dipped slightly (−3.25%) — a boundary-definition effect rather than real decline, as the wider urban area kept growing.
What the pattern shows
Two Pakistans emerge: the northern urban arc (Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan, Islamabad, Sialkot, Peshawar) and the Sindh pair (Karachi, Hyderabad), with Quetta standing alone for Balochistan. Punjab dominates the list — 5 of the top 6. The 10 largest cities hold roughly a fifth of Pakistan’s 241.5 million people. For the area ranking, see largest city of Pakistan by area; for city-wise detail, Pakistan population city wise.
FAQs
Which is the most populated city in Pakistan?
Karachi — 18,868,021 (2023 census), about 1 in 13 Pakistanis.
What are the top 3 cities of Pakistan by population?
Karachi (18.87M), Lahore (13.00M), Faisalabad (3.69M) — 2023 census.
Which city grew fastest between 2017 and 2023?
Among major cities, Rawalpindi (+60%) and Quetta (+56%) grew fastest.
