India CTV viewers skew 25–44 (roughly 60% of metro CTV audience), SEC A and upper SEC B, and live in metro or Tier 1 cities. The audience skews male in aggregate — IPL and cricket drive this — but outside sports windows is closer to 55:45 male-to-female. Household income is typically above ₹6 lakh annually; SVOD subscribers (Hotstar Premium, Prime, Netflix) skew above ₹10 lakh.
Geographically, metros (Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata) account for 50–55% of India CTV impressions, with Tier 1 cities adding 20–25%. Tier 2 is growing but often cannot be bought separately. This demographic profile is the reason CTV CPMs are higher than linear TV — you are reaching the households that brands in auto, BFSI, consumer electronics, and premium FMCG care about most.
Why these demographics matter for planning
CTV's audience quality justifies its CPM premium for relevant categories. But it also means CTV cannot replace linear TV for mass-reach campaigns targeting rural India or lower-income segments. Blend CTV for premium urban reach with linear TV or mobile OTT for broader national reach.
Full guide
For a complete explanation, read: CTV viewer demographics in India: age, gender, income, and geography