Penang is a diverse multiethnic and multicultural society. Residents of the state are colloquially known as Penangites or "Penang-lang". Traditionally regarded as a Chinese-majority state, the Bumiputera population, which includes ethnic Malays, has reached parity with that of the Chinese in recent years.

, the population of Penang stood at 1,740,405, growing by about 1.3% annually. 1,599,874, or 91.9%, were Malaysian citizens, while 140,531 were non-citizens. Ethnic Chinese, Malays and Indians cumulatively comprised nearly 91% of Penang's population. Total fertility rate was 1.3 that year.

Penang has the highest population density of all Malaysian states at , as well as an urbanisation rate of 92.5%, the second highest after Selangor. Seberang Perai, Malaysia's third largest city, was home to over 54% of Penang's population, while George Town contained nearly 46%. George Town serves as the core city of the George Town Conurbation, Malaysia's second largest metropolitan area, home to a population of over 2.84 million.

Islam is the state's official religion, but Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity are cumulatively proscribed by over half of the state's population. Within Peninsular Malaysia, Penang is the only state with a non-Muslim majority. While Malay is the official language of Malaysia, English, Mandarin and Tamil are also widely used within Penang. Penang Hokkien, a variant of the Southern Min group of languages, remains the unofficial lingua franca in the state.

The state's diversified economy has made it one of the major recipients of interstate migrants within Malaysia. Between 2015 and 2016, Penang achieved the highest migration effectiveness ratio among Malaysian states. For every 100 Malaysians that migrated into and out of Penang, the state's population increased by 58 persons. The bulk of the interstate immigrants came from Perak, Selangor, Kedah, Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

History

Penang Island had been sparsely populated prior to the establishment of George Town. The first British visit to Penang in 1592 recorded no people on the island but did encounter a group of Orang Asli on the mainland.

Founded as an entrepot by Francis Light in 1786, George Town quickly experienced population growth fueled by immigration from various parts of Asia. At the time of George Town's establishment, Elisha Trapaud, a member of Light's landing party, described that the island was inhabited by “58 people in Malay-style houses”. Within two years, George Town's population reached 1,000, increasing to 12,000 by 1804.

An official census in 1881 showed that Penang had a population of 190,597, or about 45% of the Straits Settlements’ population. Penang continued to hold the majority of the Straits Settlements’ population until 1911, when Singapore's population surpassed Penang by 311,985 to 278,003. Within the settlement of George Town, ethnic Chinese comprised nearly 63% of the population in 1911. By 1921, the Chinese population of Penang outstripped that of the Malays by 135,288 to 110,382.

By the time Malaya gained independence in 1957, Penang held a population of more than half a million. By 1991, Penang's population had exceeded one million, with mainland Seberang Perai overtaking Penang Island in population at the same time. However, the state's population growth had begun to slow since the 1970s. In 2020, annual population growth was at 1.3%, a reduction from 2.1% in 2010.

Population distribution

, Seberang Perai contained a population of 946,092, or more than 54% of Penang's population. This also made Seberang Perai the third largest city in Malaysia, after Kuala Lumpur and Kajang. George Town, the capital city of Penang, was home to 794,313 residents, or nearly 46% of the state's population. As George Town has a smaller land area, George Town's population density of was double that of Seberang Perai, which stood at .

Within George Town, the areas with the highest density were Jelutong, Ayer Itam and Tanjong Tokong. The city centre had a population density of . In Seberang Perai, Mukim 14 (Mak Mandin) recorded the highest population density, at .

+Population density by subdivisions in Seberang PeraiDistrictSubdivisionPopulation (2020)Area (km2)Population density (/km2)NorthMukim 18,4309.1926Mukim 26,46416.4394Mukim 310,28826.6387Mukim 413,36610.51,273Mukim 58,35718464Mukim 653,069391,361Mukim 721,20212.51,696Mukim 818,03512.41,454Mukim 912,3767.21,719Mukim 104,74610.8439Mukim 1122,15315.61,420Mukim 1231,16038820Mukim 1310,69228382Mukim 1421,9382.97,565Mukim 1616,0806.92,330Butterworth80,37814.65,505Kepala Batas3610.21,805CentralMukim 148,78517.62,772Mukim 25,5578.3670Mukim 38,4524.71,798Mukim 412,1028.11,494Mukim 54,8896.4764Mukim 654,41610.75,086Mukim 76,0564.11,477Mukim 83,3793.5965Mukim 99,1832.24,174Mukim 107,35423,677Mukim 1137,70410.53,591Mukim 129,88116.9585Mukim 1324,98213.91,797Mukim 1446,28018.82,462Mukim 1568,097164,256Mukim 1617,31217.21,007Mukim 173,55922.3160Mukim 182,60510.9239Mukim 195,80215.8367Mukim 2013,93510.31,353Mukim 214,4319.3476Bukit Mertajam12,07943,020Perai16,1505.23,106SouthMukim 12,4056.1394Mukim 21,5104.8315Mukim 31,73010.3168Mukim 49,88413.2749Mukim 58,7118.9979Mukim 67,6799.1844Mukim 720,10218.41,093Mukim 82,38215.3156Mukim 918,80216.11,168Mukim 109,03321.6418Mukim 1119,58645.9427Mukim 1210,2909.61,072Mukim 1311,40929.5387Mukim 1422,99013.91,654Mukim 1535,63818.51,926Mukim 161911.2159Nibong Tebal1,4250.72,036Sungai Bakap2400.12,400 +Population distribution by subdivisions in George TownDistrictSubdivisionPopulation (2020)Area (km2)Population density (/km2)NortheastPaya Terubong226,71232.76,933Bukit Paya Terubong1,9984.9408Mukim 15134.83Mukim 161,4083.7381Mukim 172,57925103Mukim 1818,2179.21,980Ayer Itam16,9741.89,430Batu Ferringhi9,0462.33,933Penang Hill3323.692Gelugor18,6622.96,435City centre158,33625.56,209Jelutong63,5074.414,433Tanjong Bungah14,2712.85,097Tanjong Tokong12,5501.58,367Tanjong Pinang11,9704.52,660SouthwestPantai Acheh4,30223187Teluk Bahang2,53120.4124Bukit Sungai Pinang1,9196.2310Batu Hitam3,57410357Bukit Balik Pulau1,2825.2247Pondok Upih7,6798.9863Bukit Genting1,5096.1247Bukit Pasir Panjang1,4445.6258Bukit Gemuruh17,3799.61,810Bukit Relau18,75511.51,631Teluk Kumbar21,4816.83,159Bayan Lepas130,45531.94,089Sungai Pinang2,32321,162Sungai Rusa2,8174.2671Permatang Pasir2,4396407Bagan Air Hitam3,3823.6939Titi Teras2,3943.6665Kongsi2,73012,730Kampung Paya3,98113,981Sungai Burung1,5232.9525Pulau Betong1,5513.9398Dataran Genting2,1792.2990Balik Pulau1090.11,090

Age distribution + Age distribution in Penang, 2025 Race Malay Other Bumiputera Chinese Indian Others Total 741,400 7,300 709,100 154,800 10,300 0-4 55,900 500 20,900 7,600 400 5-9 50,200 600 38,900 8,700 700 10-14 49,500 500 47,500 10,200 600 15-19 49,400 500 50,000 12,100 800 20-24 61,000 500 47,100 13,100 700 25-29 69,400 300 51,300 13,100 1,200 30-34 71,000 900 55,800 13,200 1,100 35-39 71,400 800 48,700 12,000 600 40-44 65,700 700 54,600 12,600 500 45-49 47,200 500 51,600 10,500 800 50-54 42,900 400 52,600 10,400 800 55-59 35,800 300 52,300 9,400 600 60-64 29,000 200 45,900 8,600 500 65+ 43,100 400 92,000 13,300 1,000

Ethnicities

+Population by ethnic groups in Seberang PeraiDistrictSubdivisionPopulation (2020)Malaysian citizensNon-citizensTotalMalayOther BumiputerasChineseIndianOthersNorthMukim 18,0678201595908,430Mukim 25,997438343736,464Mukim 39,75619241661519110,288Mukim 412,89826182411320613,366Mukim 57,3528591150432138,357Mukim 641,7571145,7783,3331171,97053,069Mukim 715,062634,0241,3474865821,202Mukim 815,88516395196431,50018,035Mukim 93,573976,4511,53513558512,376Mukim 104,70111852194,746Mukim 1114,783536,2757865120522,153Mukim 1224,257833,9211,434701,39531,160Mukim 139,5871468280973410,692Mukim 148047518,9901,13910882221,938Mukim 168,697416,4777302810716,080Butterworth19,34621941,48911,3603677,59780,378Kepala Batas129013110001361CentralMukim 122,14714211,0787,5934267,39948,785Mukim 23,49631,910633825,557Mukim 37,847643510414468,452Mukim 46,269244,7148313123312,102Mukim 54,4888293218714,889Mukim 639,3872325,0121,9182927,57554,416Mukim 74,7674696720016606,056Mukim 83,124215484873,379Mukim 93,575165,28522216699,183Mukim 101,591224,730873231157,354Mukim 117,61117516,8243,0923849,61837,704Mukim 124,991183,376760486889,881Mukim 137,223818,9683,1962065,30824,982Mukim 1412,5719524,3474,3902344,64346,280Mukim 1516,07517637,7867,8422415,97768,097Mukim 169,080386,5851,2333534117,312Mukim 1780992,39532010163,559Mukim 181,8403690166502,605Mukim 195,36442882761585,802Mukim 2012,341191,254203219713,935Mukim 214,3762624414,431Bukit Mertajam2,536318,1949816727012,079Perai4,012575,3494,089912,55216,150SouthMukim 12,1443212135282,405Mukim 21,4761001321,510Mukim 343111,0352384211,730Mukim 42,13686,0711,197324409,884Mukim 56,257121,1211,21012998,711Mukim 66,0822752596813647,679Mukim 78,348487,0633,8623674520,102Mukim 82,0744157138092,382Mukim 910,724455,7701,9865821918,802Mukim 106,659171,939305111029,033Mukim 115,766228,6824,8515221319,586Mukim 121,14801,35650697,27110,290Mukim 136,861171,7352,1143664611,409Mukim 145,2592411,6425,12410483722,990Mukim 1510,5569216,9357,19911174535,638Mukim 1619100000191Nibong Tebal11809293671101,425Sungai Bakap4611425001240

+Population by ethnic groups in George TownDistrictSubdivisionPopulation (2020)Malaysian citizensNon-citizensTotalMalayOther BumiputerasChineseIndianOthersNortheastPaya Terubong52,1821,593127,51321,3052,29921,820226,712Bukit Paya Terubong5971,6428391981,998Mukim 15001200113Mukim 166061,16814014201,408Mukim 1717631,653231584582,579Mukim 181,4696412,4442,3182391,68318,217Ayer Itam2,0714812,3161,9035757916,974Batu Ferringhi1,964384,1281,408801,4289,046Penang Hill6142207256332Gelugor8,8142816,1732,4069389518,662City centre31,77588090,58913,9961,16919,927158,336Jelutong11,57026044,4585,1095441,56663,507Tanjong Bungah1,4665610,0281,1033061,31214,271Tanjong Tokong4,217426,85272911559512,550Tanjong Pinang2,773195,9257692802,20411,970SouthwestPantai Acheh2,94021,07322910484,302Teluk Bahang2,13913290434422,531Bukit Sungai Pinang1,4663399253231,919Batu Hitam1,302151,93224117673,574Bukit Balik Pulau295277210321081,282Pondok Upih4,981362,28824828987,679Bukit Genting1,256223221161,509Bukit Pasir Panjang6231783181181,444Bukit Gemuruh14,288572,3334715217817,379Bukit Relau6,48512210,6181,0679936418,755Teluk Kumbar14,5321164,6801,0799997521,481Bayan Lepas55,05859952,6819,17270512,240130,455Sungai Pinang1,50408088212,323Sungai Rusa2,324147031182,817Permatang Pasir2,2046194201142,439Bagan Air Hitam2,393137981315423,382Titi Teras2,12112148102472,394Kongsi2,0223452211615212,730Kampung Paya3,29185011528213,981Sungai Burung1,5071102121,523Pulau Betong1,5241563121,551Dataran Genting1,85217239466192,179Balik Pulau120831301109

Race Population in Penang Source: https://www.dosm.gov.my/uploads/release-content/file_20260731083618.pdf + Race Population in Penang, 2020–2026 Race Malay Other Bumiputera Chinese Indian Others Total 2020 707,900 (44.3%) 8,000 (0.5%) 718,400 (44.9%) 155,500 (9.7%) 10,100 (0.6%) 1,599,900 2021 715,300 (44.5%) 6,900 (0.4%) 718,200 (44.7%) 155,500 (9.7%) 10,200 (0.6%) 1,606,100 2022 721,400 (44.8%) 7,000 (0.4%) 715,200 (44.5%) 155,100 (9.6%) 10,200 (0.6%) 1,608,900 2023 728,800 (45.1%) 7,100 (0.4%) 713,200 (44.2%) 155,100 (9.6%) 10,200 (0.6%) 1,614,400 2024 735,800 (45.4%) 7,200 (0.4%) 711,200 (43.9%) 155,000 (9.6%) 10,300 (0.6%) 1,619,500 2025 741,400 (45.7%) 7,300 (0.5%) 709,100 (43.7%) 154,800 (9.5%) 10,300 (0.6%) 1,622,900 2026 747,400 (46%) 7,400 (0.5%) 706,300 (43.4%) 154,700 (9.5%) 10,300 (0.6%) 1,626,000

TFR by ethnic group DOSMMalaysChineseIndiansTotal2011 2.1 1.4 1.7 1.62012 2.1 1.6 1.7 1.72013 2.0 1.3 1.5 1.52014 2.0 1.4 1.5 1.62015 2.0 1.3 1.5 1.52016 1.9 1.2 1.4 1.42017 1.9 1.2 1.3 1.42018 1.8 1.1 1.2 1.32019 1.7 1.1 1.2 1.32020 1.7 1 1.3 1.32021 1.7 0.8 1.2 1.22022 1.6 0.7 1.2 1.22023 1.8 0.8 1.3 1.32024 1.6 0.8 0.9 1.2

Demographics of Parliamentary consistuency by ethnic group