"How many square feet is 1 bigha?" has no single answer in India — the bigha is a traditional unit whose size changes from state to state, and sometimes even district to district. Here's a state-by-state guide to the most commonly used values.
Important: Bigha genuinely varies, including between "pakka" and "kaccha" measures and by district. The figures below are the most commonly cited values — always confirm against local land records (Bhulekh/RoR) before acting on any number.
Common bigha values by state
| State | 1 bigha ≈ (sq ft) |
|---|---|
| Rajasthan | 27,225 |
| Bihar | 27,220 |
| Jharkhand | 27,220 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 27,000 (pakka) |
| Gujarat | 17,424 |
| Assam | 14,400 |
| West Bengal | 14,400 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 12,000 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 8,712 |
| Uttarakhand | 6,804 |
States not listed (like Punjab, Haryana, and much of South India) commonly use other units — kanal and marla in the north-west, and cent, ground, guntha or ankanam in the south — rather than a standard bigha. Use those exact units where they apply.
Why does bigha vary so much?
The bigha predates standardised measurement and was defined locally, so each region settled on its own size. Two big reasons it still differs:
- Pakka vs kaccha bigha: many areas historically used a larger "pakka" (proper) bigha and a smaller "kaccha" (raw) bigha — often roughly half the pakka size.
- District-level custom: in states like UP and Rajasthan, the working value can shift between districts.
This is why you should never assume one figure — a plot listed in bigha means different areas in different places.
How to convert your bigha
Rather than doing the maths by hand, use the free Bigha to Square Feet converter — pick your state and it uses the locally-common value. You can also go the other way with square feet to bigha, or convert bigha to acre and bigha to gaj.
The bottom line
1 bigha ranges from roughly 6,800 sq ft (Uttarakhand) to over 27,000 sq ft (Rajasthan, Bihar, UP) depending on where you are. Always confirm the exact value with local land records before buying, selling or registering land.
How to use a state-wise bigha table safely
A state-wise table is a starting point, not a substitute for local records. Use it to estimate area, shortlist properties or understand a listing. Before paying, registering or dividing land, confirm the unit used in the local revenue record.
Quick example
If two advertisements both say “1 bigha”, do not compare prices per bigha until you know the state-specific area behind each listing. Convert both to the same unit first.
Use the Land Area Converter to compare common units quickly.
Common mistakes
- Copying a conversion from a neighbouring state.
- Assuming one district always follows another district's convention.
- Rounding too early when calculating price per square foot.