The percentage of Muslims residing in urban areas is as high as 40 percent (urban Muslims in relation to total Muslims), against the national urbanization level of less than 32 percent in 2011, as per the Population Census. The corresponding figures for Hindu Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Hindu Scheduled Tribes (STs) are 21.1 percent and 10 percent respectively, constituting the vulnerable sections of Indian population. A much larger segment of the Muslim population lives in urban areas than the SCs and STs. The urban share of other non-Hindu religious groups, such as Sikhs and Christians, is just below that of Muslims. The only group having an edge over the Muslims in this regard is the upper caste Hindus (UCH, Hindus excluding the SC and ST population.

A higher percentage of Muslim population residing in towns and cities, compared to the total Indian population, suggests that the former enjoys greater urban facilities, including employment opportunities, than the average Indian. This be attributed to the history of the Sultanate and Mogul Empire, resulting in the concentration of Muslims in the seats of governance during those periods. Understandably, there were religious conversions that too account for a part of the high Muslim population share in urban areas.