Malaybalay - Demography

Demography

Population Census
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
1918 16,428
1939 18,816 0.65%
1948 16,458 -1.49%
1960 32,522 5.68%
1970 47,074 3.7%
1975 65,198 6.51%
1980 60,779 -1.4%
1990 94,790 4.44%
1995 112,277 3.39%
2000 123,672 1.93%
2007 144,065 2.18%
2010 153,085 2.02%
Source:
National Statistics Office (Philippines)

Malaybalay is originally the home of the Bukidnon "lumads" or natives, but there has been an influx of settlers and immigrants from the Visayas and Luzon for the last four decades contributing to the growth of the population of the city. The original inhabitants, the Bukidnons, have retreated to the hinterlands as the migrants continued to occupy and dominate the population centers in the city. At present, Malaybalay City is the second most populous political subdivision in the province, after Valencia City.

The Census of Population conducted by the National Statistics Office in 2007 showed that the city now has 144, 065 inhabitants. The historical growth of population of the city showed a variable pattern of growth (See Figure). The first census of population in was made 1918 with Malaybalay having only 16,428 inhabitants. The 21-year period from 1918 to 1939 was a low-growth period with the city's population growing at a 0.6% annually. This was then followed by a period of population decline until the post-World War II era, declining by 1.5% per year. The twelve-year period from 1948 to 1960 is a period of high growth, when the city's population almost doubled from its 1948 level. This pace of growth continued until 1970, growing 6.7%. In 1970, Malaybalay has 65,918 inhabitants. A 5-year period of declining growth followed, the population dropped to 60,779. After the decline, Malaybalay's population has been increasing since then, growing by 3.4% from 1990–1995, 1.9% from 1995-2000. Government demographers estimate that the city's population will reach more than 150,000 by 2010.

The city is predominantly rural, with only 16% of the population in urban areas, 40% in urbanizing barangays and 46% in rural areas. Population is evenly distributed in the urban and rural areas. The urban areas are generally found on the confines of the Sayre Highway that traverses the city. The main urban population is found in the Poblacion-Casisang area. Secondary population centers includes barangays Aglayan, Bangcud and Kalasungay.

Malaybalay has one of the lowest average population density in the province, second only to Impasug-ong with only 146 persons per square kilometer although there are barangays, especially in the Poblacion area, with high population density.

Cebuano is prevailing medium of communication in the city. More than half of the city's population are native-speakers of this language. Other languages are Binukid or known as Talaandig, spoken by the lumads or the original inhabitants and other related tribal groups. Boholano (a dialect of Cebuano from Bohol) and Ilonggo are also spoken by its native speakers living in this city.

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