Based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH}, Bicol Region had a total population of 6,082,165 persons. Of this total, the household population comprised 99.8 percent or 6,067,290 persons.  Of the 6.07 million household population in 2020, 3.08 million (50.7%) were males while 2.99 million (49.3%) were females. By age group, 2.07 million (34.1%) were under 15 years of age (young dependents). On the other hand, persons aged 15 to 64 years (working-age or economically-active population) totaled to 3.65 million (60.1 %) while those in age groups 65 years and over (old dependents) comprised the remaining 352.17 thousand (5.8%). In 2015, young dependents, working-age population, and old dependents accounted for 36.3, 58.5, and 5.2 percent, respectively, of the household population.

Moreover, there were more males (88. 7%) than females (86.1 % ) among the O to 54 age group. Meanwhile, among the older age group (55 years and over}, females (13.9%) outnumbered the males (11.3%). The same trend was also observed in 2015.

Sex ratio stands at 103 males per 100 females

The sex ratio in Bicol Region was computed at 103 in 2020. This means that there were 103 males for every 100 females. The sex ratio in 2015 was the same at 103 males per 100 females (Figure 2)

Median age increases to 22.8 years

The median age of Bicol Region population continues to rise during the past three decades. In 2020, the median age was computed at 22.8 years, which means that half of the household population was younger than 22.8 years, while the other half is older than 22.8 years. This is higher than the median ages of 21.7 years and 20.0 years that were posted in 2015 and 2010, respectively (Figure 3).

Dependency ratio declines to 67 dependents per 100 persons in the working-age group

The overall dependency ratio of Bicol region was computed at 67, which indicates that for every 100 working-age or economically-active population, there were about 67 dependents (57 young dependents and 10 old dependents). This is lower than the dependency ratio in 2015, which was recorded at 71 dependents per 100 working-age population (62 young dependents and 9 old dependents).

There are more males than females in children under five years old

Children below five years old comprised 11.2 percent (678,871) of the household population which is slightly lower than the 11.9 percent (686,438) posted in 2015. The sex ratio declined to 107 males per 100 females in 2020 from the sex ratio recorded in 2015 at 108 males per 100 females.

About two in every five household population are of school age

In 2020, the school-age population (5 to 24 years old) accounted for 2.59 million (42.6%) of the 6.07 million household population compared to the 2.52 million (43.6%) school-age population that was reported in 2015 (Figure 4).

Senior citizens constitute 8.9 percent of the household population

In Bicol Region, people aged 60 years old and over are regarded as senior citizens. They made up 8.9 percent (538,124) of the household population in 2020, higher than the 7.9 percent (457,863) recorded in 2015. There were more females (56.4%) than males (43.6%) among the senior citizens, in 2020. The same trend was observed in 2015 (Figure 5).

Less than half of the female population are of reproductive age

Women of reproductive age (15 to 49 years old) totaled to 1.45 million or 48.4 percent of the 2.99 million female household population in 2020. These figures were higher compared with the 47.5 percent (1.35 million) posted in 2015. 

Aging index increases by 4.2 index points from 21.8 in 2015 to 26.0 in 2020

In Bicol Region, the aging index or the proportion of persons aged 60 years and over per 100 persons under the age of 15 years was computed at 26.0 percent in 2020. This means that there is one person aged 60 years and over for every four children under 15 years old. In 2015, the aging index was at 21.8.