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Region

Central Luzon

Central Luzon is a region of the Philippines in Luzon. Its population was 12,989,074 in the 2024 census, and it has 7 provinces, 15 cities and 115 municipalities.

  • Population: 2024 Census
  • Places: PSGC 2Q 2026
  • Checked by Scene: October 8, 2026
  • Page updated: October 2, 2026
A blue crater lake ringed by steep grey and green cliffs, under a blue sky with white clouds, with tall grass in the foreground.
The crater lake of Mount Pinatubo.Photo: “DSC 0127 (1)” by martin rey ogalesco, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; resized by Scene. Scene's copy is shared under the same licence.
  • PeopleSources

    12,989,074

    people counted in the 2024 censusCensusA count of every person in the country, all on one day. The 2024 census counted people as they were on 1 July 2024.More in the glossary

    Up 28.1% from 2010 to 2024
  • Rank by peopleSources

    3rd

    of the 18 regions of the Philippines by population, 2024Rank and shareWorked out by Scene from the PSA's counts: where a place stands among the places listed with it, and how many of every 100 of its parent's people live in it.More in the glossary

    About 12 of every 100 people in the Philippines lived in Central Luzon in 2024 (11.52%)
  • Inside itSources

    7

    provinces

    130 cities and municipalities, 3,105 barangays
  • LandSources

    22,648.03 km²

    of land, 2019 masterlistLand areaThe land inside the place's official boundary. A square kilometre is a square 1 km on each side, about the size of 140 football fields.Explained by Scene: Central Luzon's land would fill a square about 150.5 km on each side. That is only a way to picture its size: its real shape is on the map.More in the glossary

    Average density, 2024: 574 people per km²Population densityHow crowded a place is on average: its people divided by its land area. 1,000 people per square kilometre is 10 people per hectare, a square of 100 by 100 metres.Explained by Scene: About 6 people per hectare if everyone were spread evenly across the land. In fact people live closer together in towns and farther apart in the countryside.More in the glossary
  • HomesSources

    3,515,396

    households in 2024HouseholdA person living alone, or people who sleep in the same home and share their meals. A family may be one household or several.More in the glossary

    3.7 people in each, on average, in 2024
  • Town or countrySources

    66.2%

    About 66 of every 100 people lived in urban barangays in 2024Urban barangayThe PSA counts a barangay as urban when it has 5,000 people or more, or a big employer, or several businesses and public services close by. Every barangay in Metro Manila is urban.More in the glossary

PSGC codePSGC codeThe code the Philippine Statistics Authority gives every place, so each one is known exactly, even when two share a name.More in the glossary
0300000000[5]Formerly 030000000

People

Central Luzon had 12,989,074 people in the 2024 census, up 28.1% from 2010.
People at each census since 1960

Counts from 2000 on are on today’s borders; earlier counts are as the place was then, so the line may step where a border moved.

Central Luzon had the 3rd most people of the 18 regions of the Philippines in 2024[1]
  1. 1CALABARZON16,933,234
  2. 2Metro Manila14,001,751
  3. 3Central Luzon12,989,074
  4. 4Central Visayas6,640,875
  5. 5Bicol Region6,064,426
  6. 6Davao Region5,389,422
  7. 7Ilocos Region5,342,453
Of every 100 people in Central Luzon in 2024[1]
Age structure · 2024 Census[6]People living in households, by age and sex
  • About 25 of every 100 are children under 15 (25.1%)
  • About 68 of every 100 are of working age, 15 to 64 (68.1%)
  • About 7 of every 100 are 65 or older (6.7%)
MenWomen

The figures by age

People by age group, men and women
AgePeopleMenWomen
Under 5984,714510,546474,168
5 - 91,098,019571,080526,939
10 - 141,176,378610,933565,445
15 - 191,180,549608,766571,783
20 - 241,171,312602,408568,904
25 - 291,129,069576,193552,876
30 - 341,064,899545,065519,834
35 - 39927,830474,247453,583
40 - 44859,543438,589420,954
45 - 49758,588386,403372,185
50 - 54673,332341,443331,889
55 - 59577,403285,989291,414
60 - 64488,356237,975250,381
65 - 69358,715167,915190,800
70 - 74243,114106,057137,057
75 - 79145,53556,31089,225
80 - 8472,37023,80848,562
85 and over51,81313,24438,569

Every figure, census by census

People, 2024 CensusCensusA count of every person in the country, all on one day. The 2024 census counted people as they were on 1 July 2024.More in the glossary
12,989,074[1, 2]
Households, 2024HouseholdA person living alone, or people who sleep in the same home and share their meals. A family may be one household or several.More in the glossary
3,515,396[1, 2]
People in each household, 2024
3.7 on average[1, 2]
Share of the Philippines, 2024Rank and shareWorked out by Scene from the PSA's counts: where a place stands among the places listed with it, and how many of every 100 of its parent's people live in it.More in the glossary
11.52%[1]
In urban barangays, 2024Urban barangayThe PSA counts a barangay as urban when it has 5,000 people or more, or a big employer, or several businesses and public services close by. Every barangay in Metro Manila is urban.More in the glossary
66.2% (8,602,725 people)[7]
Men and women, 2024
6,556,971 men, 6,404,568 women[6]People living in households
Population at each census, with its source
CensusPopulationGrowth since the census beforeHouseholdsPeople per household
2024as of July 1, 202412,989,074[1, 2]1.08% a year3,515,3963.7
2020as of May 1, 202012,422,172[1]2.17% a year——
2015as of August 1, 201511,218,177[1]1.95% a year——
2010as of May 1, 201010,137,737[1]———
2007as of August 1, 2007; as it was then9,709,177[22]2.35% a year——
2000as of May 1, 2000; on today’s borders8,204,742[22, 23]3.17% a year——
1995as of September 1, 1995; as it was then7,092,191[22]2.13% a year——
1990as of May 1, 1990; as it was then6,338,590[22]2.59% a year——
1980as of May 1, 1980; as it was then4,909,938[22]2.68% a year——
1975as of May 1, 1975; as it was then4,300,196[22]3.08% a year——
1970as of May 6, 1970; as it was then3,695,955[22]3.62% a year——
1960as of February 15, 1960; as it was then2,568,206[22]———

Provinces and cities

Central Luzon is made up of 7 provinces and 2 cities that govern themselves, Angeles City and Olongapo City, with 3,105 barangays in all.
Colour byColours the map of Central Luzon by the figure chosen; the key beside it says what each colour means.

People · 2024 Census

  • Under 300,000
  • 300,000 to 640,000
  • 640,000 to 890,000
  • 890,000 to 1.6 million
  • 1.6 million and over

The same steps colour every map of provinces in the Atlas, so a colour means the same range everywhere.

Density · people per km², 2024

  • Under 140
  • 140 to 220
  • 220 to 310
  • 310 to 440
  • 440 and over

The same steps colour every map of provinces in the Atlas, so a colour means the same range everywhere.

Growth a year · 2020–2024

  • Fell by more than 1% a year
  • Fell, by up to 1% a year
  • Grew, by under 1% a year
  • Grew by 1 to 2% a year
  • Grew by 2% a year or more

Each place's yearly change between the 2020 and 2024 censuses, on the same steps as every map in the Atlas.

Borders from UN OCHA (PSA and NAMRIA), a guide and not the legal boundary[3, 4]Open in OpenStreetMap
Provinces and cities of Central Luzon. Each column heading sorts the table.
Kind[1, 8]Share (2024)
AuroraProvince240,8241.85%0.51% a year3,860.73 km²
BataanProvince891,4406.86%1.05% a year1,349.88 km²
BulacanProvince3,876,80629.85%1.07% a year2,942.54 km²
Nueva EcijaProvince2,395,81618.44%0.88% a year5,036.88 km²
PampangaProvince2,586,44619.91%1.43% a year2,186.22 km²
TarlacProvince1,568,16212.07%1.02% a year3,224.35 km²
ZambalesProvince681,2255.24%1.15% a year3,830.65 km²
Angeles CityHighly urbanized city483,4523.72%1.05% a year63.43 km²
Olongapo CityHighly urbanized city264,9032.04%0.42% a year153.35 km²

Land & Environment

Central Luzon covers 22,648.03 km² of land, 574 people for every km² in 2024. Its land rises to 2,036 m above the sea and it has 949.7 km of coast.
Land areaLand areaThe land inside the place's official boundary. A square kilometre is a square 1 km on each side, about the size of 140 football fields.More in the glossary
22,648.03 km²[8]As listed in the 2019 Masterlist of Land Areas (LMB, DENR)
Average density, 2024Population densityHow crowded a place is on average: its people divided by its land area. 1,000 people per square kilometre is 10 people per hectare, a square of 100 by 100 metres.More in the glossary
574 people per km²[8]
Coordinates
15.30112° N, 120.65092° E[3]The point inside its border farthest from every edge, so it always falls within the place.
Height above the sea[18]
Lowest
Sea level
Average
273 m
Highest
2,036 m

Heights from the Copernicus DEM, a 30 m model of the surface: it reads the tops of trees and roofs, not the bare ground, over the land inside the border, the sea left out. Produced using Copernicus WorldDEM-30 © DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018 provided under COPERNICUS by the European Union and ESA; all rights reserved.

Water, coast and peaks

949.7 km of coastline[19]

Rivers[19]

  1. Pampanga River217.7 of 218.3 km
  2. Talavera River92.0 km
  3. Rio Chico91.9 km
  4. Sumacbao River77.9 km
  5. Angat River73.7 of 115.5 km
  6. Santur River64.0 km
  7. Pasig-Potrero Riverdries up61.5 km
  8. Peñaranda River51.3 km

The longest inside it: 330 in all.

Lakes[19]

  1. Pantabangan Lakereservoir56.1 km²
  2. Angat Dam Reservoirreservoir19.7 km²
  3. Mapanuepe Lake5.9 km²
  4. Bustos Dam Reservoirreservoir4.1 km²
  5. Lake Pinatubo1.7 km²
  6. Ipo Dam Reservoirreservoir1.1 km²

The largest: 12 in all.

Peaks[19]

  1. Mount Tapulao2,034 m
  2. Mount Mingan1,901 m
  3. Mount Anacuao1,819 m
  4. Mingan Peak 41,780 m
  5. Salakot Peak1,740 m
  6. Mingan Peak 31,720 m

The highest: 227 in all.

Named rivers, lakes and peaks as OpenStreetMap mapped them on 30 September 2026, and the coast within 150 m of the border. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, under the Open Database License.

Climate

Climate typeClimate typePAGASA sorts the country's climate into four types by when the rain falls. Type I has a dry season from November to April and a wet one for the rest of the year; Type II has no dry season, with the most rain from December to February; Type III has a short dry season; Type IV has rain spread through the year.More in the glossary

Type I[20]

Two seasons: dry from November to April, wet for the rest of the year, with the heaviest rain from June to September.

Covers about 70 of every 100 parts of its land. Read by Scene off PAGASA's climate map, so approximate: the type that covers most of the place's land.

At Clark International Airport, the nearest PAGASA station, 17 km away[21]Averages for 1997 to 2020: 2,455 mm of rain on 126 days a year; 27.2 °C on average

Rain each month Average temperature

The figures by month

Climate at Clark International Airport, 1997 to 2020, by month
MonthRainRainy daysAverageHighLow
January14 mm325.5 °C30.0 °C21.0 °C
February16 mm326.0 °C30.9 °C21.1 °C
March53 mm327.5 °C32.5 °C22.4 °C
April61 mm528.9 °C34.0 °C23.8 °C
May196 mm1328.8 °C33.3 °C24.4 °C
June254 mm1628.0 °C31.9 °C24.1 °C
July515 mm2027.3 °C30.8 °C23.7 °C
August695 mm2227.0 °C30.3 °C23.7 °C
September306 mm1827.2 °C30.8 °C23.6 °C
October202 mm1127.3 °C31.2 °C23.4 °C
November97 mm727.0 °C31.1 °C23.0 °C
December48 mm526.3 °C30.4 °C22.1 °C
The year2,455 mm12627.2 °C31.4 °C23.0 °C

A station's figures describe the place around it only roughly: inland and in the hills it may be cooler and wetter. The station stands 152 m above the sea.

Life & Economy

Central Luzon's economy made ₱3.04 trillion of goods and services in 2025, ₱234,427 for each person. About 8 of every 100 people lived below the poverty line in 2023.
Economy, 2025Gross domestic productThe value of all the goods and services made in a place in a year: the size of its economy. The PSA measures it for every region, province and highly urbanized city. Counted at 2018 prices, it leaves out the rise in prices, so one year can be set beside another.More in the glossary
₱3.04 trillion[14]Its gross domestic product at current prices; ₱2.58 trillion at 2018 prices.
Growth, 2024–2025
4.5%[15]How much more it made than the year before, at 2018 prices.
For each person, 2025
₱234,427[16]Its economy divided by its projected population, at current prices, as the PSA works it out.
Poverty, 2023Poverty incidenceHow many of every 100 people live in families whose income is below the poverty line: what a person needs in a year for food and other basic needs, as the PSA sets it for each province. It is an estimate, from a survey or, for a town, a statistical model, so the PSA gives a range it is likely to fall in.More in the glossary
8.2% of people[17]Below the poverty line, by the PSA's survey.
About 8 of every 100 people in Central Luzon lived below the poverty line in 2023 (8.2%)[17]

The PSA's survey puts it between 7.3% and 9.2%, with 95% confidence. The poverty line was ₱38,510 a person for the year.

History & Identity

Official name
Region III (Central Luzon)[5]
Created
Region III, called the Central Luzon Region, was one of the eleven uniform regions of the Integrated Reorganization Plan, which Presidential Decree No. 1 adopted on 24 September 1972. Presidential Decree No. 224 of 22 June 1973 defined its provinces and cities.[9, 10, 11]

Its story

Presidential Decree No. 224 of 22 June 1973 defined Region No. 3 as the Central Luzon Region, with its regional center at San Fernando, Pampanga.[11]

It then covered Bataan, Bulacan, Zambales, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac, and the cities of San Jose, Palayan, Olongapo, Cabanatuan and Angeles.[11]

In 1975 the municipality of Valenzuela, in Bulacan, was placed inside Metropolitan Manila.[12]

In 2002 the province of Aurora was transferred from Region IV to Region III.[13]

Timeline

  1. 24 September 1972

    Presidential Decree No. 1 adopts the Integrated Reorganization Plan, which sets up uniform regions including Region III.[9, 10]

  2. 22 June 1973

    Presidential Decree No. 224 defines Region No. 3 as the Central Luzon Region with its center at San Fernando, Pampanga.[11]

  3. 7 November 1975

    Presidential Decree No. 824 takes the municipality of Valenzuela out of Bulacan into Metropolitan Manila.[12]

  4. 17 May 2002

    Executive Order No. 103 transfers the province of Aurora to Region III.[13]

Nearby

Central Luzon shares a border with Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, Ilocos Region and Metro Manila.

How it compares

Central Luzon beside Luzon, and where it stands among the regions of the Philippines.

Central Luzon beside Luzon
FigureCentral LuzonLuzonRank among the regions of the Philippines
People, 2024CensusA count of every person in the country, all on one day. The 2024 census counted people as they were on 1 July 2024.More in the glossary12,989,074[1, 2, 24]64,162,9773rd of 8
Growth a year, 2020–2024Growth a yearHow fast the number of people changed each year between two censuses. 1% a year means about 1 more person for every 100 people, each year.More in the glossary1.08% a year[1, 2, 24]faster0.75% a year1st of 8
People per km², 2024Population densityHow crowded a place is on average: its people divided by its land area. 1,000 people per square kilometre is 10 people per hectare, a square of 100 by 100 metres.More in the glossary574[1, 8, 24]more crowded4263rd of 8
Land areaLand areaThe land inside the place's official boundary. A square kilometre is a square 1 km on each side, about the size of 140 football fields.More in the glossary22,648.03 km²[8]150,742.84 km²3rd of 8
People in each household, 2024HouseholdA person living alone, or people who sleep in the same home and share their meals. A family may be one household or several.More in the glossary3.7[1, 2, 24]about the same3.7not ranked
In urban barangays, 2024Urban barangayThe PSA counts a barangay as urban when it has 5,000 people or more, or a big employer, or several businesses and public services close by. Every barangay in Metro Manila is urban.More in the glossary66.2%[7]not publishednot ranked

Sources

Page updated October 2, 2026. Sources checked by Scene October 8, 2026.
  1. 1.Philippine Statistics Authority. Population and Annual Population Growth Rate of the Philippines and its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities Based on the 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2024 Population Census (OpenSTAT table 0211A6DAPG0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  2. 2.Philippine Statistics Authority. Total Population, Household Population, and Number of Households by Province, City, Municipality, and Barangay as of 01 July 2024: Central Luzon (OpenSTAT table 0031A6DTPH2). Published August 5, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  3. 3.UN OCHA, from the PSA and NAMRIA. Philippines: Subnational Administrative Boundaries (COD-AB), barangay layer. Published February 13, 2025. Read by Scene September 25, 2026. CC BY-IGO 3.0. Open the source
  4. 4.OpenStreetMap contributors. Barangay boundaries from OpenStreetMap, where UN OCHA's layer has none. Published September 25, 2026. Read by Scene September 25, 2026. ODbL 1.0. Open the source
  5. 5.Philippine Statistics Authority. Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC), 2nd Quarter 2026: Publication Datafile. Published June 30, 2026. Read by Scene September 24, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  6. 6.Philippine Statistics Authority. Household Population by Age-Group Region, Province, and Highly Urbanized City: Philippines, 2024 Census of Population (OpenSTAT table 0201A6DPAG0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  7. 7.Philippine Statistics Authority. Total Population and Urban Population by Urban Classification and Region, Province, Highly Urbanized City, City/Municipality and Barangay: Philippines, 2024 (OpenSTAT table 0231A6DPUP0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  8. 8.Philippine Statistics Authority, from the Land Management Bureau (DENR). Population, Land Area, Population Density, and Percent Change in Population Density by Region, Province/Highly Urbanized City, and City/Municipality: 2015, 2020, and 2024 (OpenSTAT table 0221A6DLPD0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  9. 9.Malacañang / LawPhil Project. Presidential Decree No. 1, Reorganizing the Executive Branch of the National Government. Published September 24, 1972. Read by Scene October 3, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  10. 10.Malacañang / LawPhil Project. Presidential Decree No. 268, Splitting Region 4 into Region 4 and Region 4-A for the Bureau of Posts. Published August 4, 1973. Read by Scene October 3, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  11. 11.Malacañang / LawPhil Project. Presidential Decree No. 224, Amending Certain Parts of the Integrated Organization Plan. Published June 22, 1973. Read by Scene October 3, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  12. 12.Malacañang / LawPhil Project. Presidential Decree No. 824, Creating the Metropolitan Manila and the Metropolitan Manila Commission. Published November 7, 1975. Read by Scene October 3, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  13. 13.Malacañang / LawPhil Project. Executive Order No. 103, Dividing Region IV into Region IV-A and Region IV-B. Published May 17, 2002. Read by Scene October 3, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  14. 14.Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Gross Regional Domestic Product, by Region (OpenSTAT table 0012B5BPGD1). Published April 23, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  15. 15.Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Gross Regional Domestic Product, by Region, Growth Rates (OpenSTAT table 0022B5BPGD2). Published April 23, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  16. 16.Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Per Capita Gross Regional Domestic Product, by Region (OpenSTAT table 0772B5BPCP1). Published April 23, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  17. 17.Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Table 2a. Annual Per Capita Poverty Threshold and Poverty Incidence Among Population with Measures of Precision, by Region, Province and Highly Urbanized Cities: 2018, 2021, and 2023 (OpenSTAT table 0041F3DF02A). Published August 15, 2024. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  18. 18.European Union and the European Space Agency (Copernicus), from DLR and Airbus Defence and Space (WorldDEM). Copernicus DEM GLO-30: global digital surface model at 30 m, one-degree tiles (2021 release). Published 2021. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Copernicus DEM GLO-30 licence: free, any use including commercial, with the Copernicus notice. Open the source
  19. 19.OpenStreetMap contributors, extract by Geofabrik. Named rivers, lakes, reservoirs, peaks and the coastline of the Philippines in OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik extract, cut by osmium). Published September 30, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. ODbL 1.0. Open the source
  20. 20.Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Climatology and Agrometeorology Division. Climate Map of the Philippines (1951-2010), Modified Coronas Climate Classification. Published August 2014. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. A work of the Government of the Philippines: no copyright (RA 8293 s.176.1); PAGASA's approval is needed to use it for profit. Open the source
  21. 21.Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Climatology and Agrometeorology Division. Climatological Normals, 1991-2020, by synoptic station (one PDF each). Published January 2022. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. A work of the Government of the Philippines: no copyright (RA 8293 s.176.1); PAGASA's approval is needed to use it for profit. Open the source
  22. 22.Philippine Statistics Authority. 2015 Census of Population, Statistical Tables, Table 1: Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by City/Municipality, 1960-2015 (one workbook for each province, highly urbanized city and region). Published 2017. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  23. 23.Philippine Statistics Authority. 2020 Census of Population and Housing: Table A (Population and Annual Growth Rate for the Philippines and its Regions, Provinces and Highly Urbanized Cities) and Table B (Population and Annual Growth Rates by Province, City and Municipality, by Region). Published July 2021. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  24. 24.Philippine Statistics Authority. Total Population, Household Population, Number of Households and Average Household Size by Region, Province, and Highly Urbanized City: Philippines, 2024 (OpenSTAT table 0191A6DTHP8). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source

Scene adds what the sources do not print themselves: growth rates, shares, barangay areas and densities, coordinates, neighbours and distances, each computed from the figures and borders above. How each is made.

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Cite this page

Scene.ph. “Central Luzon.” Scene Atlas. Updated October 2, 2026. https://scene.ph/atlas/central-luzon