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

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 2024Rank 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 barangaysLandSources
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 glossaryHomesSources
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 2024Town 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
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.
- 1CALABARZON16,933,234
- 2Metro Manila14,001,751
- 3Central Luzon12,989,074
- 4Central Visayas6,640,875
- 5Bicol Region6,064,426
- 6Davao Region5,389,422
- 7Ilocos Region5,342,453
- 30Bulacan3,876,806 people
- 20Pampanga2,586,446 people
- 18Nueva Ecija2,395,816 people
- 12Tarlac1,568,162 people
- 7Bataan891,440 people
- 13The other 41,670,404 people
- 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%)
The figures by age
| Age | People | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 984,714 | 510,546 | 474,168 |
| 5 - 9 | 1,098,019 | 571,080 | 526,939 |
| 10 - 14 | 1,176,378 | 610,933 | 565,445 |
| 15 - 19 | 1,180,549 | 608,766 | 571,783 |
| 20 - 24 | 1,171,312 | 602,408 | 568,904 |
| 25 - 29 | 1,129,069 | 576,193 | 552,876 |
| 30 - 34 | 1,064,899 | 545,065 | 519,834 |
| 35 - 39 | 927,830 | 474,247 | 453,583 |
| 40 - 44 | 859,543 | 438,589 | 420,954 |
| 45 - 49 | 758,588 | 386,403 | 372,185 |
| 50 - 54 | 673,332 | 341,443 | 331,889 |
| 55 - 59 | 577,403 | 285,989 | 291,414 |
| 60 - 64 | 488,356 | 237,975 | 250,381 |
| 65 - 69 | 358,715 | 167,915 | 190,800 |
| 70 - 74 | 243,114 | 106,057 | 137,057 |
| 75 - 79 | 145,535 | 56,310 | 89,225 |
| 80 - 84 | 72,370 | 23,808 | 48,562 |
| 85 and over | 51,813 | 13,244 | 38,569 |
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
| Census | Population | Growth since the census before | Households | People per household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024as of July 1, 2024 | 12,989,074[1, 2] | 1.08% a year | 3,515,396 | 3.7 |
| 2020as of May 1, 2020 | 12,422,172[1] | 2.17% a year | — | — |
| 2015as of August 1, 2015 | 11,218,177[1] | 1.95% a year | — | — |
| 2010as of May 1, 2010 | 10,137,737[1] | — | — | — |
| 2007as of August 1, 2007; as it was then | 9,709,177[22] | 2.35% a year | — | — |
| 2000as of May 1, 2000; on today’s borders | 8,204,742[22, 23] | 3.17% a year | — | — |
| 1995as of September 1, 1995; as it was then | 7,092,191[22] | 2.13% a year | — | — |
| 1990as of May 1, 1990; as it was then | 6,338,590[22] | 2.59% a year | — | — |
| 1980as of May 1, 1980; as it was then | 4,909,938[22] | 2.68% a year | — | — |
| 1975as of May 1, 1975; as it was then | 4,300,196[22] | 3.08% a year | — | — |
| 1970as of May 6, 1970; as it was then | 3,695,955[22] | 3.62% a year | — | — |
| 1960as of February 15, 1960; as it was then | 2,568,206[22] | — | — | — |
Provinces and cities
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.
| Kind | [1, 8] | Share (2024) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | Province | 240,824 | 1.85% | 0.51% a year | 3,860.73 km² |
| Bataan | Province | 891,440 | 6.86% | 1.05% a year | 1,349.88 km² |
| Bulacan | Province | 3,876,806 | 29.85% | 1.07% a year | 2,942.54 km² |
| Nueva Ecija | Province | 2,395,816 | 18.44% | 0.88% a year | 5,036.88 km² |
| Pampanga | Province | 2,586,446 | 19.91% | 1.43% a year | 2,186.22 km² |
| Tarlac | Province | 1,568,162 | 12.07% | 1.02% a year | 3,224.35 km² |
| Zambales | Province | 681,225 | 5.24% | 1.15% a year | 3,830.65 km² |
| Angeles City | Highly urbanized city | 483,452 | 3.72% | 1.05% a year | 63.43 km² |
| Olongapo City | Highly urbanized city | 264,903 | 2.04% | 0.42% a year | 153.35 km² |
Land & Environment
- 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.
- 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]
- Pampanga River217.7 of 218.3 km
- Talavera River92.0 km
- Rio Chico91.9 km
- Sumacbao River77.9 km
- Angat River73.7 of 115.5 km
- Santur River64.0 km
- Pasig-Potrero Riverdries up61.5 km
- Peñaranda River51.3 km
The longest inside it: 330 in all.
Lakes[19]
- Pantabangan Lakereservoir56.1 km²
- Angat Dam Reservoirreservoir19.7 km²
- Mapanuepe Lake5.9 km²
- Bustos Dam Reservoirreservoir4.1 km²
- Lake Pinatubo1.7 km²
- Ipo Dam Reservoirreservoir1.1 km²
The largest: 12 in all.
Peaks[19]
- Mount Tapulao2,034 m
- Mount Mingan1,901 m
- Mount Anacuao1,819 m
- Mingan Peak 41,780 m
- Salakot Peak1,740 m
- 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.
Rain each month Average temperature
The figures by month
| Month | Rain | Rainy days | Average | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14 mm | 3 | 25.5 °C | 30.0 °C | 21.0 °C |
| February | 16 mm | 3 | 26.0 °C | 30.9 °C | 21.1 °C |
| March | 53 mm | 3 | 27.5 °C | 32.5 °C | 22.4 °C |
| April | 61 mm | 5 | 28.9 °C | 34.0 °C | 23.8 °C |
| May | 196 mm | 13 | 28.8 °C | 33.3 °C | 24.4 °C |
| June | 254 mm | 16 | 28.0 °C | 31.9 °C | 24.1 °C |
| July | 515 mm | 20 | 27.3 °C | 30.8 °C | 23.7 °C |
| August | 695 mm | 22 | 27.0 °C | 30.3 °C | 23.7 °C |
| September | 306 mm | 18 | 27.2 °C | 30.8 °C | 23.6 °C |
| October | 202 mm | 11 | 27.3 °C | 31.2 °C | 23.4 °C |
| November | 97 mm | 7 | 27.0 °C | 31.1 °C | 23.0 °C |
| December | 48 mm | 5 | 26.3 °C | 30.4 °C | 22.1 °C |
| The year | 2,455 mm | 126 | 27.2 °C | 31.4 °C | 23.0 °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
- 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.
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
Stories from Central Luzon
Short films of this place, every line from a source listed under the film.
Old maps of Central Luzon
Each with the archive that holds it, its date and its rights, on its own page.
- 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
24 September 1972
Presidential Decree No. 1 adopts the Integrated Reorganization Plan, which sets up uniform regions including Region III.[9, 10]
22 June 1973
Presidential Decree No. 224 defines Region No. 3 as the Central Luzon Region with its center at San Fernando, Pampanga.[11]
7 November 1975
Presidential Decree No. 824 takes the municipality of Valenzuela out of Bulacan into Metropolitan Manila.[12]
17 May 2002
Executive Order No. 103 transfers the province of Aurora to Region III.[13]
Nearby
How it compares
Central Luzon beside Luzon, and where it stands among the regions of the Philippines.
| Figure | Central Luzon | Luzon | Rank 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 glossary | 12,989,074[1, 2, 24] | 64,162,977 | 3rd 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 glossary | 1.08% a year[1, 2, 24]faster | 0.75% a year | 1st 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 glossary | 574[1, 8, 24]more crowded | 426 | 3rd 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 glossary | 22,648.03 km²[8] | 150,742.84 km² | 3rd 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 glossary | 3.7[1, 2, 24]about the same | 3.7 | not 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 glossary | 66.2%[7] | not published | not ranked |
Shares a border with[3]
Sources
- 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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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




