Quezon City: The Philippines' Largest

City
Reference Number:
2002-017
Release Date:
Tuesday, October 8, 2002

Population growth rate increased to 1.92 percent

The 2000 Census of Population and Housing (Census 2000) results showed that Quezon City registered
a total population of 2,173,831 persons, higher by 184,412 persons over the 1995 Census of Population
(POPCEN) results. This figure recorded a 1.92 annual population growth rate, lower by 1.42 percentage
points than the annual population growth rate during the 1990 to 1995 period. A corresponding increase
on the number of households was also recorded at 480,624 households, higher by 64,836 households
over the 1995 figure. This resulted to an average household size of 4.5 persons, slightly lower than the
average household size (4.8 persons) recorded five years ago and the national average of five persons.
Quezon City, largest city in the country in terms of population size
Quezon City had the largest population among the cities/municipalities in the country. This city contributed
21.9 percent to the 9.9 million population of the National Capital Region. At the national level, the city
shared 2.8 percent to the total population of 76.5 million.
One of every two residents resided in Second District
Quezon City is composed of four political districts. Figure 1 shows that more than half (54 percent) of the
population resided in the Second District. The First and Fourth District both constituted 17 percent each
while the Third District was the least populous (12 percent).
Barangay Commonwealth, under Second District, was the biggest barangay in terms of population size,
accounting for 5.6 percent of the total population of the city. The least populous was Mangga, under Third
District, with only 494 persons (0.02 percent).

Quezon City had a median age of 24 years

Quezon City had a median age of 24 years. This meant that in 2000, half of
the population were below 24 years old. In 1995, the median age was 23
years.
Sex ratio recorded at 96
Females outnumbered their male counterparts with the sex ratio of 96. This
meant that there were 96 males for every 100 females. In 1995, the sex
ratio was recorded at 94.
Age groups 20-29 protrude
In 2000, the age-sex structure of Quezon City deviated from the usual
pyramid shape as shown in Figure 2 where the age groups 20 to 29 protrude
among the lower age groups, specially among females. Those below five
years old occupied the largest proportion of the total population at 12.3
percent.

The proportion of women in childbearing ages almost doubled

In 2000, women in childbearing or reproductive age group (15 to 49 years)
comprised 59 percent of the total female population, almost two times
higher than the proportion reported in 1995 (31 percent).
Three-fifths of the population belonged to voting ages
There were 1.4 million persons or about 63 percent of the total population
belonging to voting ages (18 years old and over). Among them, the
proportion of females was higher (52 percent) than that of the males (48
percent).
Economically active persons increased by about 10 percent
Over 65 percent of the total population or 1.4 million persons belonged to
productive ages (15 to 64 years). This resulted to about 10 percent increase
from the 1995 figure of 1.3 million persons. About 32 percent were young
dependents (aged 0 to 14 years) while about three percent were old
dependents (aged 65 years and above). The overall dependency ratio in 2000
was 53, lower than the 1995 ratio of 54. This meant that for every 100
persons aged 15 to 64 years, there were about 53 dependents, i.e., 49 young
dependents and four old dependents.

More females attended school

More than 88 percent of the total household population aged five years and
over had attended school; 25 percent, elementary; 32 percent, high school;
and 31 percent with higher education.
Females dominated among those who had attended school.
One widower for every four widows
More than 46 percent of the total population 10 years old and over were
married while 42 percent were single. The remaining 12 percent were either
widowed, separated/divorced, with other arrangements or with unknown
marital status.
Among married persons, the proportion of males and females were almost
equal (50.5 percent and 49.5 percent, respectively) while females
dominated among single persons (52 percent). On the other, the proportion
of widows was noticeably higher (80 percent) than the widowers (20
percent).
Five in every eight persons were Tagalogs
Five in every eight of the population of Quezon City classified themselves as
Tagalog (65.4 percent); followed by Ilocano, 5.2 percent; Bikol/Bicol, 5
percent; Bisaya/Binisaya, 4.4 percent; and Cebuano, 3.2 percent.
Median floor area at 31 square meters
The houses in Quezon City had a median floor area of 31 square meters. This
meant that half of the total housing units had a floor area of below 31
square meters.
Majority of the housing units were single houses (57 percent). Over 76
percent of the total housing units needed no repair or if needed one, with
minor repair only.
Houses were made of strong materials for roof and walls
In 2000, about 78 percent of the housing units in Quezon City, had roof made
of galvanized iron while more than 46 percent had outer walls made of

either concrete, bricks or stone; 32 percent, half concrete/brick/stone and

half wood; and 15 percent, wood.
About 43 percent of housing units had roof made of galvanized
iron/aluminum and had outer walls made of concrete/bricks/stone.

QUEZON CITY
Quezon City, the former capital of the Philippines, is bounded on the north, east and south by
the Province of Rizal, on the northwest by the City of Caloocan, and on the west by the City of
Manila.
The city has a land area of 171.17 square kilometers and has four congressional districts with
142 barangays. Historically, the cause of freedom spread throughout the islands to break the
chains of colonialism and monasticism that the first Cry of the Great Plebian, Andres
Bonifacio, and his Katipuneros was held on August 23, 1896 in Balintawak where a
monument in his honor stands.
On October 12, 1939, the Philippine National Assembly enacted Commonwealth Act No. 502,
which created the City of Quezon with 7,355 hectares, one-third of which belonged to the
government.
On July 17, 1647, Republic Act No. 333 made Quezon City as the official capital of the
Philippines until June 24, 1975 when Presidential Decree 940 establishing the City of Manila
as the new Capital of the Philippines and the permanent seat of the National Government.
Source: www.lcp.org.ph

(Sgd.) CARMELITA N. ERICTA

Administrator

Table 1. Population Distribution of Top Five Barangays: Quezon City, 2000

Total Population

Percent

2,173,831

100.00

120,569

5.55

112,690

5.18

109,723

5.05

64,656

2.97

54,118

2.49

Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 2. Total Population by Age Group, Sex and Sex Ratio: Quezon City,
2000
Total Population

Male

Female

Sex

2,173,831

1,064,780

1,109,051

96.0

267,347

137,429

129,918

105

229,631

117,881

111,750

105

196,170

100,019

96,151

104

209,498

96,989

112,509

86.2

237,816

109,267

128,549

85.0

Attainment

218,588

105,354

113,234

93.0

195,024

96,791

98,233

98.5

158,744

78,971

79,773

99.0

133,267

66,032

67,235

98.2

102,585

51,320

51,265

100

77,247

38,439

38,808

99.0

46,565

22,604

23,961

94.3

38,535

17,635

20,900

84.4

25,216

11,271

13,945

80.8

17,302

7,366

9,936

74.1

10,240

4,024

6,216

64.7

10,056

3,388

6,668

50.8

Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 3. Household Population 5 Years Old and Over by Highest

Educational Attainment and Sex: Quezon City, 2000
Household Population
5 Years Old & Over

Male

1,899,053

923,662

ed

38,723

19,897

47,552

24,613

468,483

231,441

616,117

294,037

120,860

59,226

uate

293,604

146,323

Holder

170,451

78,616

11,277

5,298

131,986

64,211

Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 4. Household Population by Ethnicity and Sex: Quezon City, 2000

Both Sexes

Male

Female

2,166,320

1,061,048

1,105,272

1,415,874

699,385

716,489

112,258

54,581

57,677

108,293

53,842

54,451

94,225

43,560

50,665

68,573

31,774

36,799

279,098

135,160

143,938

87,999

42,746

45,253

Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 5. Total Population 10 Years Old and Over by Age Group and Marital
Status: Quezon City, 2000
Total Population
10 Years Old & Over

Single

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Others

1,676,853

709,492

773,674

58,348

23,625

88,987

405,668

370,742

15,338

785

684

7,003

237,816

154,835

57,752

661

1,497

19,167

218,588

81,597

112,530

1,056

2,536

18,548

195,024

41,697

132,403

1,662

3,320

14,476

158,744

22,467

118,643

2,576

3,666

10,402

133,267

13,433

103,450

4,292

3,727

7,630

102,585

8,200

80,588

5,396

2,986

4,959

77,247

5,770

59,307

6,556

2,217

3,014

46,565

3,179

34,266

6,065

1,226

1,590

ne

38,535

2,722

26,034

7,584

856

1,047

25,216

1,636

15,813

6,592

472

512

17,302

1,302

9,332

5,835

240

314

10,240

808

4,769

4,270

104

173

10,056

1,104

3,449

5,018

94

152

Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 6. Occupied Housing Units by Construction Materials of Outer Walls

and Roof: Quezon City, 2000
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS OF THE ROOF
Total
Occupied
Housing
Units

Galvanized
Iron/
Aluminum

Tile/
Concrete/
Clay Tile

Half
Galvanized,
Iron and Half
Concrete

Wood

Cogon/
Nipa/
Anahaw

Makeshift/
Salvaged/
Improvised
Materials

447,369

347,723

10,756

57,011

13,756

285

8,615

206,656

192,292

8,127

3,872

600

74

327

66,393

50,572

547

3,495

11,139

60

517

144,317

93,496

1,210

47,205

1,525

41

414

5,120

3,544

78

1,232

182

56

706

486

56

41

68

51

209

131

14

11

258

200

31

16

11,179

3,483

341

95

21

7,110

11,912

3,140

665

717

149

89

619

379

87

63

12

11

51

d/

ed

Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

TECHNICAL NOTES

Size- average number of people who live in the household

e at which the population is increasing (or decreasing) in a given year due to natural increase and net migration, expressed as a p

at which exactly half of the population is young and half is old

f males to females in a given population expressed as the number of males per 100 females

tio- the ratio of persons in the "dependent" ages (under 15 years and over 64 years) to those in the "economically productive" age

nit consisting of a person or a group of persons who sleep in the same housing unit and have common arrangements in the prepa

opulation and Housing (Census 2000) was undertaken by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in May 2000, as mandated by Com
nsa Blg. 72 and Executive Order No 121. It was the 11thcensus of population and 5thcensus of housing undertaken in this country
ed to take an inventory of the total population and housing units all over the Philippines and to collect information about their ch
00 was May 1, 2000 (12:01 a.m.). Enumeration started on May 1, 2000 and lasted for about 30 days.

--- o0o --Page last revised: October 8, 2002