Population of Abra increased at the rate of 1.14 percent annually
Based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH), the province of Abra posted a total population of 234,733 persons as of May 1, 2010, larger by 25,242 persons compared to its total population of 209,491 persons counted in the 2000 CPH. The increase in the population count from 2000 to 2010 translated to an average annual population growth rate (PGR) of 1.14 percent. This is lower than the 1.26 percent annual PGR of the province between the census years 1990 and 2000.
If the average annual PGR recorded at 1.14 percent during the period 2000 to 2010 continues, the population of Abra would double in 61 years.
Fifty years ago, the population of Abra was only 115,193 persons. This population size is less than one half of the population of the province in the 2010 CPH.
Bangued was the most populous
Among the 27 municipalities comprising the province of Abra, Bangued, the provincial capital, was the most populous with a population size making up 18.7 percent of the total provincial population. The municipality of Bucay was second with 7.3 percent share, followed by the municipalities of La Paz with 6.3 percent, and Tayum and Lagangilang with 5.9 percent each. The rest of municipalities contributed less than 5.0 percent each.
The least populated area was the municipality of Daguioman with 0.7 percent share to the total population of the province. It was also the least populated municipality in 2000.
Sex ratio was 104 males per 100 females
Of the 234,000 household population in 2010, males accounted for 50.9 percent while females comprised 49.1 percent. These figures resulted in a sex ratio of 104 males for every 100 females. In 2000, the reported sex ratio was the same as that in 2010.
Median age increased to 24.7 years
In 2010, the median age of the population of the province was 24.7 years, which means that half of the population was younger than 24.7 years. This is higher than the median age of 22.6 years that was recorded in 2000.
Moreover, three in every 10 persons (31.7 percent) were under 15 years old. Children aged 5 to 9 years (11.0 percent) comprised the largest age group, followed by those in the age groups 0 to 4 years (10.6 percent) and 10 to 14 years (10.1 percent). Males outnumbered females in the age groups 0 to 54 years. On the other hand, there were more females than males in the older age groups (55 years and over).
More than half of the population were of voting age
The voting-age population (18 years and over) accounted for 62.2 percent of the household population of the province in 2010, up from 58.8 percent in 2000. There were more males (50.4 percent) than females (49.6 percent) among the voting-age population.
Dependency ratio decreased to 62 dependents per 100 persons in the working age group
In 2010, the young dependents (0 to 14 years) comprised 31.7 percent of the household population while the old dependents (65 years and over) posted a share of 6.8 percent. The working-age population (15 to 64 years) accounted for the remaining 61.6 percent.
The overall dependency ratio was 62, which indicates that for every 100 working-age population, there were about 62 dependents (51 young dependents and 11 old dependents). This ratio is lower than the dependency ratio in 2000, which was recorded at 69 dependents per 100 working-age population (58 young dependents and 11 old dependents).
There were more males than females among the never-married persons
Of the household population 10 years old and over, 48.7 percent were married while 41.6 percent were never married. The rest of the population were categorized as follows: widowed (5.5 percent), common law/live in marital arrangement (3.1 percent), and divorced/separated (1.0 percent).
Among the never-married persons, 55.9 percent were males while 44.1 percent were females. For the rest of the categories for marital status, the females outnumbered the males.
More females had attained higher levels of education
Of the household population aged five years and over, 34.4 percent had attended or completed elementary education, 33.9 percent had reached or finished high school, 9.8 percent were college undergraduates and 10.1 percent were academic degree holders. Females outnumbered males among those with higher levels of education as they comprised 58.9 percent of all those with an academic degree and 64.3 percent of all those who pursued post baccalaureate course.
Persons with disability comprised 1.9 percent of the population in the province
In 2010, around 4,400 persons or 1.9 percent of the 234,000 household population had a disability. The proportion of persons with disability (PWD) in 2000 was 1.6 percent of the 209,146 household population of the province during that year. The number of PWD for the same year was around 3,400.
More females than males among those with functional difficulty
Of the 209,199 household population five years old and over, 3.1 percent (or 6,504 persons) had at least one type of functional difficulty either in seeing, hearing, walking or climbing steps, remembering or concentrating, self-caring (bathing or dressing) or communicating. There were more females (53.5 percent) than males (46.5 percent) among those persons with at least one type of functional difficulty.
Moreover, of the total 6,504 persons aged five years old and over with at least one type of functional difficulty, 53.7 percent reported difficulty in seeing, even if wearing eyeglasses. There were 34.2 percent who had difficulty in hearing, even if using a hearing aid; 33.0 percent had difficulty in walking or climbing steps; 21.9 percent had difficulty in remembering or concentrating; 13.6 percent had difficulty in self-caring (bathing or dressing); 13.3 percent had difficulty in communicating.
Female overseas workers outnumbered their male counterparts
Of the 183,460 household population 10 years old and over in Abra, 3.4 percent (or 6,181 persons) were overseas workers. Female overseas workers outnumbered their male counterparts as they comprised 72.0 percent of all the overseas workers from this province. Overseas workers aged 25 to 29 years made up the largest age group, comprising 21.6 percent of the total overseas workers from this province in 2010, followed by the age groups 30 to 34 (20.7 percent), 45 years and over (19.3 percent), and 35 to 39 years (15.0 percent).
Average household size was 4.8 persons
The number of households in 2010 was recorded at 49,144, higher by 8,435 households compared with the 40,709 households posted in 2000. The average household size in 2010 was 4.8 persons, lower than the average household size of 5.1 persons in 2000.
There were 103 households per 100 occupied housing units
A total of 47,642 occupied housing units were recorded in the province of Abra in 2010. This translates to a ratio of 103 households for every 100 occupied housing units, with 4.9 persons per occupied housing unit. In 2000, there were 104 households per 100 occupied housing units and 5.3 persons per occupied housing unit.
Majority of occupied housing units had outer walls and roofs that were made of strong materials
In 2010, more than half (51.1 percent) of the occupied housing units in the province had outer walls made of concrete/brick/stone, up from 34.4 percent in 2000. The proportion of occupied housing units with outer walls made of bamboo/sawali/cogon/nipa decreased from 32.9 percent in 2000 to 22.2 percent in 2010. Meanwhile, 93.5 percent of the occupied housing units in 2010 had roofs made of galvanized iron/aluminum. This is higher than the proportion recorded in 2000 at 86.7 percent. The proportion of occupied housing units with roofs made of tile/concrete/clay tile, on the other hand, decreased from 1.3 percent in 2000 to 0.6 percent in 2010.
Majority of the households lived in lots that they owned or amortized
In 2010, of the total 49,144 households, 87.0 percent owned or amortized the lots they occupied. The corresponding figure in 2000 was 82.2 percent.
Moreover, 11.0 percent of the households occupied lots which were rent-free but with consent of owner, 1.2 percent rented the lots that they occupied while 0.3 percent occupied lots which were rent-free but without consent of the owner.
