According to the 2011 census Mayurbhanj district has a population of 2,519,738, roughly equal to the nation of Kuwait or the US state of Nevada. This gives it a ranking of 171st in India (out of a total of 640). The state also held the 3rd rank in India in terms of the number of villages, with 3,950 villages. The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 13.06%. Mayurbhanj has a sex ratio of 1006 females for every 1000 males, much higher than the Indian average of 940 and a literacy rate of 63.17%, slightly lower than the Indian average. 7.66% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 7.33% and 58.72% of the population respectively.
! colspan="4" |Administration
! colspan="6" |Population
! colspan="2" |Education
! colspan="3" |Employment
|-
! |Block !! Area !! Gram panchayat !! Village !! Total !! Density !! Sex ratio !! SC !! ST !! Others !! Literacy rate !! Gender gap in literacy !! !! Main worker !! Marginal worker
|- class="sorttop"
! Odisha|| 155707 || 6798 || 53845 || 41,974,218 || 270 || 979 || 17.13 || 22.85 || 60.02 || 72.83 || 17.58 || 41.79 || 61.04 || 38.96
|- class="sorttop"
! Mayurbhanj || 10418 || 382 || 3,950 || 2,519,738 || 242 || 1006 || 7.33 || 58.72 || 33.95 || 63.17 || 21.05 || 48.56 || 44.82 || 55.18
|-
| Bahalda || 266.62 || 12 || 104 || 86081 || 333 || 986 || 6.23 || 58.05 || 35.72 || 63.79 || 23.81 || 48.12 || 39.24 || 60.76
|-
| Bangriposi || 300.16 || 18 || 227 || 103,880 || 347 || 1002 || 5.37 || 69.66 || 24.97 || 58.58 || 23.12 || 50.16 || 36.63 || 63.37
|-
| Baripada || 193.02 || 11 || 102 || 69,782 || 362 || 961 || 2.65 || 74.11 || 23.24 || 58.01 || 21.31 || 52.04 || 46.96 || 53.04
|-
| Badsahi || 312.15 || 30 || 224 || 146,232 || 469 || 988 || 9.59 || 50.69 || 39.72 || 64.31 || 18.87 || 50.45 || 45.82 || 54.18
|-
| Betnoti || 298.31 || 22 || 227 || 150,434 || 505 || 987 || 11.08 || 41.13 || 47.78 || 66.65 || 19.03 || 46.43 || 43.35 || 56.65
|-
| Bijatola || 256.62 || 10 || 153 || 64,193 || 251 || 1026 || 4.16 || 75.75 || 20.09 || 55.85 || 26.11 || 54.29 || 47.61 || 52.39
|-
| Bisoi || 330.48 || 10 || 156 || 74,572 || 226 || 1051 || 4.78 || 69.36 || 25.86 || 60.71 || 24.84 || 53.83 || 41.98 || 58.02
|-
| G.B. Nagar || 163.96 || 13 || 132 || 75,345 || 460 || 1012 || 13.52 || 55.36 || 31.12 || 65.07 || 20.2 || 45.32 || 55.02 || 44.98
|-
| Jamda || 206.63 || 8 || 79 || 59,402 || 288 || 1064 || 4.94 || 73.47 || 21.59 || 60.21 || 26.81 || 50.03 || 43.68 || 56.32
|-
| Jashipur || 443.12 || 20 || 228 || 101,058 || 229 || 1027 || 7.18 || 69.78 || 23.04 || 56.85 || 20.88 || 52.81 || 43.86 || 56.14
|-
| Kaptipada || 626.73 || 26 || 155 || 148,717 || 238 || 997 || 3.94 || 66.61 || 29.46 || 54.5 || 20.92 || 45.72 || 43.29 || 56.71
|-
| Karanjia || 314.76 || 13 || 156 || 91,518 || 291 || 1020 || 6.94 || 67.87 || 25.2 || 60.37 || 20.33 || 48.56 || 42.45 || 57.55
|-
| Khunta || 222.23 || 14 || 132 || 74,155 || 334 || 1034 || 4.49 || 79.03 || 16.48 || 60.06 || 21.97 || 55.86 || 48.73 || 51.27
|-
| Kuliana || 299.77 || 17 || 235 || 101,151 || 338 || 994 || 6.48 || 66.28 || 27.24 || 62.34 || 21.77 || 47.81 || 41.22 || 58.78
|-
| Kusumi || 312.99 || 12 || 114 || 93,116 || 298 || 1045 || 7.03 || 64.18 || 28.79 || 59.75 || 24.38 || 50.63 || 40.82 || 59.18
|-
| Morada || 284.01 || 20 || 169 || 103,775 || 366 || 1012 || 11.82 || 44.03 || 44.15 || 64.62 || 21.63 || 50.25 || 46.4 || 53.6
|-
| Rairangpur || 205.43 || 9 || 109 || 60,565 || 295 || 1038 || 8.05 || 53.5 || 38.45 || 64.02 || 23.32 || 45.57 || 55.19 || 44.81
|-
| Raruan || 212.53 || 12 || 110 || 66,504 || 313 || 1010 || 7.57 || 53.64 || 38.79 || 62.99 || 21.97 || 49.83 || 36.47 || 63.53
|-
| Rasgovindpur || 231.91 || 15 || 177 || 96,526 || 417 || 978 || 11.79 || 54.61 || 33.6 || 66.21 || 21.45 || 44.96 || 36.94 || 63.06
|-
| Samkhunta || 192.24 || 14 || 136 || 79,883 || 416 || 1002 || 4.79 || 66.73 || 28.48 || 59.12 || 19.28 || 50.17 || 48.7 || 51.3
|-
| Saraskana || 311.84 || 15 || 200 || 100,816 || 324 || 981 || 6.47 || 57.86 || 35.66 || 63.55 || 23.22 || 48.69 || 33.28 || 66.72
|-
| Sukruli || 174.05 || 9 || 90 || 60,577 || 349 || 1031 || 7.02 || 62.97 || 30.01 || 64.12 || 20.28 || 40.02 || 38.76 || 61.24
|-
| Suliapada || 278.74 || 15 || 193 || 102,263 || 367 || 989 || 6.39 || 40.51 || 53.09 || 66.18 || 20.64 || 56.13 || 37.45 || 62.55
|-
| Thakurmunda || 427.51 || 16 || 173 || 104,694 || 245 || 1044 || 4.5 || 74.93 || 20.58 || 51.68 || 22.69 || 50.99 || 42.11 || 57.89
|-
| Tiring || 168.86 || 10 || 80 || 57,076 || 339 || 1022 || 5.47 || 74.57 || 19.96 || 60.74 || 26.82 || 50.93 || 42.46 || 57.54
|-
| Udala || 209.3 || 11 || 89 || 76,147 || 364 || 998 || 5.56 || 74.39 || 20.05 || 61.4 || 21.37 || 53.55 || 42.99 || 57.01
|-
| Baripada (M) || 33.37 || || || 109,743 || 3289 || 936 || 11.37 || 15.18 || 73.45 || 88.52 || 8.19 || 33.61 || 84.76 || 15.24
|-
| Karanjia (N.A.C.) || 18.64 || || || 22,865 || 1227 || 1017 || 15.17 || 29.13 || 55.7 || 83.35 || 11.34 || 33.98 || 85.97 || 14.03
|-
| Rairangpur (N.A.C.) || 14.38 || || || 25,516 || 1775 || 1022 || 8.85 || 18.64 || 72.51 || 86.54 || 9.84 || 33.39 || 84.09 || 15.91
|-
| Udala (N.A.C.) || 7.89 || || || 13,152 || 1667 || 963 || 7.49 || 25.11 || 67.4 || 87.79 || 8.8 || 37.86 || 77.81 || 22.19
|}
Tribes and communities
Tribals constitute the largest section of the population, forming slightly more than half. The Santal are the largest tribe and the second-largest group in the district as a whole after the Odia people. The Ho people form the second-largest tribal group, followed by the Bhumij. The Santal and Ho speak respective language among themselves, but have also acquired some degree of fluency in Odia. Their languages belong to the Munda languages family and are therefore distinct from the prevalent Indo-Aryan languages, such as Odia, Hindi, and Bengali, spoken in the region. The Bhumij, however, have mostly adopted Odia as their language. Other tribes, including the Bathudi, Bhuyan, and Gond, as well as the Sounti and Kharia, speak Odia.
As per 1931 census, the district comprised 131 different communities, primarily by Santal (28.61%), Ho (Kolha) (12.07%), Bhumij (8.71%), Kudmi Mahato (6.77%), Bathudi (5.19%), Goura (4.39%), Pana Tanti (3.38%), Bhuyan (2.62%), Khandaita (2.23%), Bhanja Purana (2.2%) and other communities like Kamar, Kumbhar, Gond, Kharia, Brahmin, Teli, Saunti, Dhoba, Tanti, Gola, Dom, Bhandari, Karana, Patra, Baisnaba, Ghasi, Sadgop, Mahali, Sabara, Amanta, Sundhi, Pan (Jena Pan), Purana, Keut, Hadi, Dhandachhatra Majhi, Raju, Kshatriya, Ujia, Bagal, Gouria, Rarhi, Oraon, Baisa, Karua, Thatari, Sahara, Kayastha, Rajuar, Munda constitute 20.35% with each community shared by 0.9% to 2.0%. The rest of 3.24% was shared by minority communities whose population below 1,000 in the district.
Religion
According to the 2011 Census people are Hindus, are Muslims, are Christians, are Sikhs, are Buddhist, Jains, and didn't stated any religious affiliation, while the rest are adherent of tribal faiths (primarily Sarnaism) and other unclassified sect and beliefs. a figure that increased to 87,839 in the following census; with substantial growth, it became the second most-followed religion in the district.
Muslims and Christians comprise a tiny minority. The former are almost all migrants from Coastal Odisha except for a sizeable population of Bihari Muslims near the border with Chaibasa. They immigrated into the district after , settling mainly in urban areas, and by the 1891 census, the district was inhabited by 2,982 Muslims, mostly from the Sunni sect. Christians in the district are mostly converts from tribal communities, with 85.31% (12,803 out of 15,008 adherents) belonging to tribal groups such as the Santals, Kolhas (Ho), Mundas, and Bhumijs. Historically, Christianity was not prevalent among the district's inhabitants but gradually gained followers after through missionary efforts. Initially, 783 person returned as Christian in 1911 census, contributed by the Roman Catholic Church (1879) and the Evangelical Church (1896), established in the district headquarters, Baripada, a town that had recorded only 20 Christians in the previous census. Kate Allenby, one of the missionaries, who made significant contributions to the spread of Christianity, along with welfare of the population. Buddhism and Jainism, although forming an insignificant portion of the current population, historically flourished in the region before the emergence of the Bhanja dynasty. At present, semi-Buddhistic practices, including the worship of Mahayana deities such as Tara and Avalokiteshvara under different names, are observed in some rural areas.
Languages
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 54.33% of the population in the district spoke Odia, 24.81% Santali, 7.58% Ho, 3.92% Mundari, 2.77% Kurmali and 1.34% Bengali as their first language.
center|thumb|Police station-wise language distribution in the district, 2011 census|270x270px
By linguistic family, 60.6% of the population speaks Indo-European languages, 36.7% speaks Austroasiatic languages, 0.2% speaks Dravidian languages, and 2.5% speaks other unclassified languages. The Mayurbhanj dialect, locally known as Mayurbhanjia, closely resembles Coastal Odisha's Baleswari Odia but incorporates certain tribal words for everyday objects, with Bengali lexical influence, especially in rural areas. The native language of Santali is largely used in its spoken form, Odia or Hindi being preferred for writing. Bengali is used in the parts of Sadar subdivision that adjoin Jhargram district, although there is significant Odia admixture. Kudmali is another important language, primarily spoken by the Kudumi Mahato in the border areas of Jharkhand and West Bengal. Other notable languages include Ho and Bhumij (sometimes regarded as a Mundari dialect) spoken in some pocketed areas. Hindi and Urdu are mostly spoken in urban areas, primarily by Marwari and Muslims.
Administration
The district is headed by the Collector and District magistrate, usually an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) who oversees development, revenue collection and maintenance of law and order. He is assisted at headquarters by two Additional District Magistrates (ADM) and a number of Deputy Collectors. Various line departments ranging from Agriculture and Education to Health are operate under the Collector's supervision. There are four territorial subdivisions of the district – Sadar (headquartered at Baripada), Kaptipada (Udala), Bamanghaty (Rairangpur) and Panchpir (Karanjia) composing 26 blocks, 382 Gram panchayats and 3945 villages. Each subdivision is headed by a Sub Collector cum Sub Divisional Magistrate who reports to the Collector. Except for the Sadar Sub Collector, who is often an IAS officer, the other Sub Collectors and ADMs belong to the Odisha Administrative Service.
The police force is headed by a Superintendent of Police belonging to the Indian Police Service who is assisted by Additional SPs at headquarters and SDPOs at subdivisional headquarters. There are a total of 32 police stations – each headed by an Inspector or Sub Inspector in-charge. While the Superintendent reports on general law and order matters to the District Magistrate, he is almost completely independent in practice as far as the police force is concerned.
Each subdivision is further divided into blocks and tahsils. The former are development units headed by a Block Development Officer. Each block is divided into numerous Gram Panchayats (GPs) for a total of 404 in the district. The GPs and Blocks report to the Project Director, District Rural Development Authority (DRDA), an ADM rank officer. The Collector is the CEO of DRDA and thus exercises direct control over its functioning. The tahsils on the other hand are revenue subdivisions with the Tahsildar also being an Executive Magistrate and reporting to the Sub Collector. He is assisted by a number of Revenue Inspectors and Amins. The district has a total of 26 blocks and tahsils, the highest in Odisha.
The Simlipal National Park, while formally a part of the four subdivisions noted above, is in practice under a Field Director belonging to the Indian Forest Service (IFS). The Deputy Director, also an IFS officer, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Park. Three other Divisional Forest Officers are in charge of the forests outside the National Park area.
The Judiciary is headed by a District and Sessions Judge who exercises both criminal and civil jurisdiction. He also enjoys revisionary powers over certain orders of the District Magistrate and Sub Divisional Magistrates. He is assisted on the civil side by Civil Judges of senior and junior divisions and on the criminal side by Chief Judicial Magistrate and Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrates.