In 2006, the Indian government named Dumka one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640).

[1] According to the 2011 census Dumka district has a population of 1,321,442,[4] roughly equal to the nation of Mauritius[5] or the US state of New Hampshire.

[4] The district has a population density of 300 inhabitants per square kilometre (780/sq mi).

[4] Dumka has a sex ratio of 974 females for every 1000 males,[4] and a literacy rate of 61.02%.

[4] Languages of Dumka district (2011)[7] At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 39.71% of the population spoke Santali, 34.44% Khortha, 9.59% Bengali, 6.64% Hindi, 2.40% Malto and 1.86% Urdu as their first language.