Population growth rate down to 1.84 percent

Aurora registered a total population of 173,797 persons based on the results of the 2000 Census of Population and Housing (Census 2000), higher by 14,176 persons over the 1995 results. This figure translated to 1.84 annual growth rate, down by 0.71 percentage point from 2.55 percent during the 1990 and 1995 period.

Number of households rose to 35,024

The number of households in the province rose to 35,024 households in 2000, registering an increase of 3,684 households as compared to the 1995 figure. This gave an average household size of 4.96 persons, slightly lower than the average household size of 5.07 persons in 1995.

Table A. Population by Province, Region IV: 2000

Aurora had the least population in Southern Tagalog

Aurora had the least population among the 11 provinces and one highly urbanized city in Southern Tagalog with only 1.47 percent of the 11.8 million persons in the region. At the national level, Aurora shared 0.23 percent to the total population of 76.5 million as recorded in the Census 2000.

Maria Aurora was the most populated municipality

Among the eight municipalities in Aurora, Maria Aurora was highest in terms of population size (19.30 percent of the total provincial population). Baler, the provincial capital contributed 17.22 percent. Dipaculao (13.27 percent), Casiguran (12.35 percent) and San Luis (12.23 percent) followed. Dinalungan had the smallest population with 5.59 percent of the provincial total.

Half of the population were below 20 years old

Aurora had a median age of 20 years, higher than the 1995 median age of 19 years. This meant that half of the population of the province were aged 20 years and below.

Sex ratio was recorded at 107

Male population outnumbered their female counterparts with a sex ratio of 107 males for every 100 females. There were more males than females in the age bracket 0 to 64 years. As the age advanced to 65 years onwards, however, the females dominated their male counterparts.

Four dependents for every five economically active persons

More than half (55.63 percent) of the population of Aurora belonged to the economically active population aged 15 to 64 years. About 41 percent were young dependents (aged 0 to 14 years) while 3.46 percent were old dependents (aged 65 years and over).

The overall dependency ratio in 2000 was 79.8, lower than the 1995 ratio of 84.2. This meant that for every 100 persons aged 15 to 64 years, there were about 80 dependents, that is, 74 young dependents and six old dependents.

Females dominated higher levels of education

Of the total household population five years old and over, about 47 percent had attended or completed elementary education, 29.74 percent in secondary education, and 7.89 percent in college. More than two percent each were academic degree holders and had attended or finished post secondary education. There were more males than females who had attended or finished elementary education (52.96 percent), secondary education (51.63 percent), and post secondary education (50.03 percent). On the contrary, those who had attended college, were academic degree holders and with post baccalaureate courses were predominantly females.

More than half were Tagalog

More than half (52.85 percent) of the household population in Aurora classified themselves as Tagalog while less than one third (31.43 percent) considered themselves as Ilocano. The remaining 16 percent were either Kasigurahin, Bikol/Bicol, Kankanai/Kankaney/Kankanaey, Bisaya/Binisaya, or belonged to other ethnic groups.

Married persons outnumbered single persons

There was a higher percentage of married persons than single persons in Aurora (48.50 percent for married versus 42.24 percent for single). Those who were either widowed, divorced/separated, with other arrangements or with unknown marital status comprised 9.26 percent of the total population 10 years old and over.

Housing occupancy rate was almost 100 percent

Out of 34,550 housing units in Aurora, 34,528 units were occupied by 35,024 households. The rate of occupancy (99.94 percent) was higher by 4.34 percentage points from that of the 1990 figure. It registered a ratio of 1.01 household per occupied housing unit and a ratio of 5.03 household population per occupied housing unit. Majority of occupied housing units were single houses (96.43 percent). Duplex and multi-unit residential houses accounted for only 1.51 percent and 0.76 percent, respectively.

 

(Sgd.) CARMELITA N. ERICTA Administrator

Table 1. Total Population by Municipality and Sex: Aurora, 2000