CHENNAI: Led by the highly industrialised districts of Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram, as many as 32 out of 38 districts in Tamil Nadu have recorded per capita income that is above all India average, said the Economic Survey of Tamil Nadu 2025–26.
Chengalpattu topped the list with Rs 7.47 lakh, followed closely by Kancheepuram at Rs 7.39 lakh. Chennai ranked third with Rs 5.77 lakh, significantly higher than the State average of Rs 3.13 lakh, said the survey, which presented a detailed district-wise Per Capita Net Domestic Product (PCNDP) data for 2023–24 prepared by the Department of Economics and Statistics
Apart from these districts in the northern belt, western districts also performed strongly. Namakkal (Rs 4.74 lakh), Tirupur (Rs 4.34 lakh), Tiruvallur (Rs 4.24 lakh) and Coimbatore (Rs 4.08 lakh) were well above the State average, reflecting robust industrial and commercial activity.
However, despite sustained efforts by the State government to ensure balanced and distributed development, a disparity of nearly five per cent persists between Chennai and its adjacent districts and the rest of the State.
Agrarian and rural-dominated districts remained at the lower end of the income spectrum. Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Mayiladuthurai, Ariyalur, Villupuram, Perambalur and Tiruvarur recorded per capita incomes below Rs 2 lakh, placing them among the bottom ten districts.
At current prices, Tamil Nadu ranked third among major Indian states in 2024–25 with a per capita income of Rs 3.62 lakh. Telangana topped the list with Rs 3.87 lakh, followed by Karnataka at Rs 3.80 lakh.
Even while acknowledging inter-district disparities, the State Planning Commission expressed confidence in achieving Tamil Nadu's ambitious one-trillion-dollar economy target by 2030. The report noted that forward-looking industrial policies continue to attract substantial domestic and global investments.
The development of sector-specific industrial parks, particularly Sipcot industrial estates with plug-and-play infrastructure, has further strengthened Tamil Nadu's industrial competitiveness, the report said.
As the State moves steadily up the industrial and technological value chain, it is well-positioned not only to achieve its trillion-dollar economy goal but also to play a key role in India's journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047, it added.