Central Luzon (Region III)
 | |
| Type | region |
|---|---|
| Island group | Luzon |
| Provinces | 7 |
| Cities | 14 |
| Municipalities | 116 |
| Barangays | 3,102 |
| Coastal/Landlocked | coastal |
| Marine waterbodies | South China Sea, Philippine Sea |
| Area (2013) | 219.06 km2 (8458.03 sq mi) |
| Population (2020) | 12,422,172 |
| Density (2020) | 567 / km2 (1,469 / sq mi) |
Central Luzon, officially designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines occupying the central section of Luzon. It covers 7 provinces, namely, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales, as well as 2 highly urbanized cities. The regional center is the City of San Fernando.
Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 12,422,172. This represented 19.97% of the overall population of the Luzon island group, or 11.39% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 567 inhabitants per square kilometer or 1,469 inhabitants per square mile.
Map
Central Luzon is bordered, clockwise from the North, by the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Philippine Sea, CALABARZON, National Capital Region, Manila Bay, and the South China Sea.
details
Local government units
Central Luzon has 7 provinces, 116 municipalities, and 14 cities (2 of which are highly urbanized cities administered independently from any province). The total number of barangays in the region is 3,102.
details
| Name | Type | Population (2020) | Population (2015) | Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020) | Area (2013), in km2 | Density (2020), per km2 | City count | Mun count | Brgy count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angeles | city (HUC) | 462,928 | 411,634 | 2.50% | 63.37 | 7,305 | – | – | 33 |
| Aurora | province | 235,750 | 214,336 | 2.03% | 3,133.40 | 75 | 0 | 8 | 151 |
| Bataan | province | 853,373 | 760,650 | 2.45% | 1,372.98 | 622 | 1 | 11 | 237 |
| Bulacan | province | 3,708,890 | 3,292,071 | 2.54% | 2,783.69 | 1,332 | 3 | 21 | 569 |
| Nueva Ecija | province | 2,310,134 | 2,151,461 | 1.51% | 5,689.69 | 406 | 5 | 27 | 849 |
| Olongapo | city (HUC) | 260,317 | 233,040 | 2.36% | 185.00 | 1,407 | – | – | 17 |
| Pampanga | province | 2,437,709 | 2,198,110 | 2.20% | 2,001.22 | 1,218 | 2 | 19 | 505 |
| Tarlac | province | 1,503,456 | 1,366,027 | 2.04% | 3,046.49 | 494 | 1 | 17 | 511 |
| Zambales | province | 649,615 | 590,848 | 2.02% | 3,630.35 | 179 | 0 | 13 | 230 |
| Central Luzon Total | 12,422,172 | 11,218,177 | 2.17% | 21,906.19 | 567 | 14 | 116 | 3,102 | |
Demographics
Population by age group
According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in Central Luzon is 5 to 9, with 1,132,672 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 89,879 individuals.
Age distribution
| Age group | Population (2015) | Age group percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 215,714 | 1.92% |
| 1 to 4 | 895,593 | 7.98% |
| 5 to 9 | 1,132,672 | 10.10% |
| 10 to 14 | 1,111,511 | 9.91% |
| 15 to 19 | 1,102,758 | 9.83% |
| 20 to 24 | 1,049,764 | 9.36% |
| 25 to 29 | 936,666 | 8.35% |
| 30 to 34 | 841,508 | 7.50% |
| 35 to 39 | 792,663 | 7.07% |
| 40 to 44 | 685,221 | 6.11% |
| 45 to 49 | 631,634 | 5.63% |
| 50 to 54 | 523,013 | 4.66% |
| 55 to 59 | 420,021 | 3.74% |
| 60 to 64 | 323,375 | 2.88% |
| 65 to 69 | 231,907 | 2.07% |
| 70 to 74 | 136,968 | 1.22% |
| 75 to 79 | 97,310 | 0.87% |
| 80 and over | 89,879 | 0.80% |
| Total | 11,218,177 | 100.00% |
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Historical population
The population of Central Luzon grew from 819,768 in 1903 to 12,422,172 in 2020, an increase of 11,602,404 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive annualized growth rate of 2.17%, or an increase of 1,203,995 people, from the previous population of 11,218,177 in 2015.
Trends in population growth
| Census date | Population | Annualized Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 819,768 | – | |
| 1,044,631 | 1.54% | |
| 1,586,524 | 2.11% | |
| 1,860,274 | 1.65% | |
| 2,568,206 | 2.88% | |
| 3,695,955 | 3.63% | |
| 4,300,196 | 3.09% | |
| 4,909,938 | 2.69% | |
| 6,338,590 | 2.59% | |
| 7,092,191 | 2.13% | |
| 8,204,742 | 3.17% | |
| 9,709,177 | 2.35% | |
| 10,137,737 | 1.58% | |
| 11,218,177 | 1.95% | |
| 12,422,172 | 2.17% |
The total number of registered voters or electorate in Central Luzon for the year 2019 was 6,829,661.
Notes
- Unless otherwise specified, population count (excluding percentages) and land area figures are derived from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
- Data on registered voters is from the Commission on Elections.
- Maps utilize OpenStreetMap data available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License.