Largest cities in Philippines, 1975 to 2050

Manila leads Philippines with 24.74 million people in 2025, ahead of Cebu City at 3.04 million in the UN city ranking.

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What the data shows

In 2025, Manila ranks #1 with 24.74M, ahead of Cebu City (3.04M) and Davao City (1.55M).
By 2050, on the UN's projections, Manila is projected to rank #1 with 27.12M, ahead of Cebu City (3.65M) and Davao City (1.91M).
Manila holds #1 for the whole period, 1975 to 2025.
Biggest climber: Dagupan, from #16 in 1985 to #5 in 2050.
Manila grew 3× between 1975 and 2025.
Dagupan wasn't on the board in 1975 but is in the top 5 by 2050.

About this chart

Manila stands well above the other cities in Philippines: its 24.74 million people in 2025 are about 8.14 times the 3.04 million in second-place Cebu City. Manila also led the 1975 ranking, when the UN series put it at 8.33 million. Davao City occupies third place in 2025 at 1.55 million. These are populations of urban areas defined consistently by the UN, rather than administrative city limits.

The UN projects Manila to lead in 2050 at 27.12 million people. The figures after 2025 are projections. The Degree of Urbanization identifies contiguous dense settlements, so these totals can differ from municipal and metropolitan statistics. The historical ranking is useful for comparing positions; changing settlement boundaries mean it should not be treated as a measure of growth within fixed city limits.

The data

Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population.

Largest cities in Philippines, Population in millions, 1975–2050; projected after 2025, 1975–2050
Date	🇵🇭 Manila	🇵🇭 Cebu City	🇵🇭 Jolo	🇵🇭 Marawi	🇵🇭 Masiu	🇵🇭 Iloilo City	🇵🇭 Bacolod	🇵🇭 Bongao	🇵🇭 Davao City	🇵🇭 Indanan	🇵🇭 Angeles	🇵🇭 Zamboanga City	🇵🇭 Cagayan de Oro	🇵🇭 General Santos	🇵🇭 Dagupan	🇵🇭 Baguio	🇵🇭 Lipa
1975	8.33M	0.56M	0.51M	0.43M	0.33M	0.26M	0.24M	0.22M	0.21M	0.20M	0.20M	0.13M	0.12M	0.07M		0.10M
1976	8.64M	0.60M	0.50M	0.43M	0.33M	0.26M	0.25M	0.21M	0.24M	0.20M	0.21M	0.16M	0.13M	0.09M		0.11M
1977	8.95M	0.63M	0.49M	0.43M	0.33M	0.27M	0.26M	0.21M	0.27M	0.20M	0.22M	0.18M	0.14M	0.10M		0.12M
1978	9.26M	0.67M	0.49M	0.42M	0.32M	0.28M	0.27M	0.20M	0.30M	0.19M	0.23M	0.21M	0.15M	0.12M		0.12M
1979	9.57M	0.71M	0.48M	0.42M	0.32M	0.28M	0.28M	0.20M	0.33M	0.19M	0.24M	0.23M	0.16M	0.14M		0.13M
1980	9.88M	0.74M	0.47M	0.41M	0.31M	0.29M	0.30M	0.19M	0.36M	0.19M	0.25M	0.25M	0.17M	0.16M		0.13M
1981	10.24M	0.78M	0.46M	0.41M	0.30M	0.29M	0.31M	0.19M	0.38M	0.18M	0.27M	0.26M	0.18M	0.16M		0.14M
1982	10.60M	0.82M	0.45M	0.40M	0.29M	0.30M	0.33M	0.19M	0.39M	0.18M	0.30M	0.27M	0.20M	0.17M		0.15M
1983	10.96M	0.86M	0.44M	0.40M	0.27M	0.31M	0.35M	0.19M	0.41M	0.17M	0.33M	0.28M	0.21M	0.18M		0.15M
1984	11.32M	0.89M	0.43M	0.40M	0.26M	0.32M	0.36M	0.18M	0.42M	0.16M	0.36M	0.29M	0.22M	0.19M		0.16M
1985	11.68M	0.93M	0.41M	0.39M	0.25M	0.32M	0.38M	0.18M	0.43M	0.16M	0.38M	0.30M	0.24M	0.20M	0.09M	0.17M	0.07M
1986	12.13M	0.98M	0.41M	0.39M	0.24M	0.33M	0.39M	0.18M	0.47M	0.15M	0.39M	0.31M	0.25M	0.21M	0.10M	0.18M	0.08M
1987	12.57M	1.02M	0.40M	0.38M	0.24M	0.35M	0.40M	0.17M	0.51M	0.14M	0.40M	0.31M	0.26M	0.22M	0.10M	0.18M	0.10M
1988	13.02M	1.07M	0.39M	0.38M	0.24M	0.36M	0.42M	0.16M	0.55M	0.14M	0.41M	0.32M	0.28M	0.23M	0.11M	0.19M	0.11M
1989	13.46M	1.11M	0.38M	0.37M	0.23M	0.37M	0.43M	0.16M	0.59M	0.13M	0.42M	0.32M	0.29M	0.24M	0.12M	0.20M	0.13M
1990	13.91M	1.15M	0.37M	0.36M	0.23M	0.38M	0.44M	0.15M	0.63M	0.12M	0.43M	0.33M	0.30M	0.25M	0.12M	0.21M	0.14M
1991	14.38M	1.18M	0.35M	0.35M	0.22M	0.39M	0.45M	0.15M	0.65M	0.11M	0.44M	0.33M	0.32M	0.27M	0.14M	0.22M	0.15M
1992	14.86M	1.21M	0.34M	0.34M	0.21M	0.39M	0.46M	0.14M	0.68M	0.09M	0.45M	0.34M	0.35M	0.29M	0.16M	0.23M	0.15M
1993	15.34M	1.24M	0.33M	0.33M	0.21M	0.39M	0.46M	0.13M	0.70M	0.08M	0.46M	0.35M	0.37M	0.31M	0.17M	0.24M	0.15M
1994	15.82M	1.26M	0.32M	0.32M	0.20M	0.40M	0.47M	0.12M	0.73M	0.07M	0.47M	0.35M	0.40M	0.33M	0.19M	0.25M	0.16M
1995	16.29M	1.29M	0.31M	0.31M	0.19M	0.40M	0.48M	0.12M	0.75M	0.05M	0.48M	0.36M	0.42M	0.35M	0.21M	0.26M	0.16M
1996	16.59M	1.36M	0.30M	0.30M	0.19M	0.41M	0.49M	0.11M	0.77M		0.52M	0.37M	0.43M	0.36M	0.23M	0.27M	0.17M
1997	16.90M	1.42M	0.29M	0.30M	0.18M	0.42M	0.49M	0.11M	0.80M		0.56M	0.38M	0.44M	0.38M	0.26M	0.28M	0.18M
1998	17.20M	1.48M	0.28M	0.29M	0.17M	0.42M	0.50M	0.10M	0.82M		0.60M	0.39M	0.45M	0.39M	0.29M	0.29M	0.19M
1999	17.50M	1.55M	0.27M	0.29M	0.17M	0.43M	0.50M	0.10M	0.85M		0.64M	0.40M	0.46M	0.41M	0.32M	0.30M	0.21M
2000	17.80M	1.61M	0.26M	0.29M	0.16M	0.44M	0.51M	0.09M	0.87M		0.68M	0.41M	0.47M	0.42M	0.35M	0.31M	0.22M
2001	18.11M	1.68M	0.25M	0.28M	0.15M	0.45M	0.51M	0.09M	0.90M		0.70M	0.42M	0.48M	0.43M	0.37M	0.32M	0.23M
2002	18.42M	1.75M	0.24M	0.27M	0.14M	0.46M	0.52M	0.08M	0.93M		0.72M	0.42M	0.49M	0.43M	0.40M	0.33M	0.23M
2003	18.73M	1.83M	0.23M	0.27M	0.13M	0.47M	0.53M	0.08M	0.96M		0.74M	0.43M	0.51M	0.44M	0.43M	0.34M	0.24M
2004	19.04M	1.90M	0.22M	0.26M	0.12M	0.48M	0.53M	0.07M	0.98M		0.76M	0.44M	0.52M	0.44M	0.46M	0.35M	0.25M
2005	19.35M	1.97M	0.21M	0.26M	0.11M	0.49M	0.54M	0.07M	1.01M		0.78M	0.45M	0.53M	0.45M	0.48M	0.36M	0.26M
2006	19.69M	2.04M	0.19M	0.25M	0.10M	0.49M	0.54M		1.04M		0.80M	0.46M	0.56M	0.45M	0.51M	0.37M	0.29M
2007	20.04M	2.12M	0.18M	0.24M	0.09M	0.50M	0.55M		1.06M		0.82M	0.46M	0.59M	0.46M	0.54M	0.38M	0.31M
2008	20.38M	2.19M	0.17M	0.24M	0.08M	0.50M	0.55M		1.09M		0.85M	0.47M	0.62M	0.46M	0.57M	0.39M	0.34M
2009	20.73M	2.26M	0.16M	0.23M	0.07M	0.51M	0.56M		1.11M		0.87M	0.48M	0.65M	0.47M	0.60M	0.40M	0.37M
2010	21.07M	2.33M	0.15M	0.22M	0.06M	0.51M	0.56M		1.14M		0.89M	0.49M	0.68M	0.47M	0.63M	0.41M	0.39M
2011	21.39M	2.39M	0.14M	0.22M		0.54M	0.57M		1.17M		0.94M	0.49M	0.70M	0.47M	0.66M	0.43M	0.41M
2012	21.71M	2.45M	0.13M	0.21M		0.56M	0.57M		1.20M		1.00M	0.50M	0.71M	0.47M	0.69M	0.44M	0.43M
2013	22.04M	2.51M	0.13M	0.20M		0.58M	0.58M		1.23M		1.05M	0.50M	0.73M	0.47M	0.72M	0.46M	0.45M
2014	22.36M	2.57M	0.12M	0.20M		0.60M	0.59M		1.26M		1.10M	0.50M	0.75M	0.47M	0.74M	0.47M	0.47M
2015	22.68M	2.62M	0.11M	0.19M		0.63M	0.59M		1.30M		1.16M	0.51M	0.77M	0.47M	0.77M	0.49M	0.48M
2016	22.94M	2.68M	0.11M	0.18M		0.64M	0.60M		1.33M		1.19M	0.51M	0.79M	0.47M	0.79M	0.50M	0.50M
2017	23.21M	2.73M	0.10M	0.17M		0.65M	0.61M		1.37M		1.21M	0.51M	0.81M	0.47M	0.82M	0.51M	0.51M
2018	23.48M	2.78M	0.09M	0.15M		0.66M	0.63M		1.40M		1.24M	0.51M	0.83M	0.47M	0.84M	0.52M	0.53M
2019	23.75M	2.84M	0.09M	0.14M		0.67M	0.64M		1.44M		1.27M	0.51M	0.84M	0.47M	0.87M	0.53M	0.54M
2020	24.01M	2.89M	0.08M	0.13M		0.68M	0.65M		1.47M		1.30M	0.51M	0.86M	0.47M	0.89M	0.54M	0.56M
2021	24.16M	2.92M	0.08M	0.13M		0.69M	0.65M		1.49M		1.33M	0.51M	0.87M	0.48M	0.90M	0.55M	0.57M
2022	24.30M	2.95M	0.08M	0.13M		0.70M	0.65M		1.50M		1.36M	0.51M	0.87M	0.48M	0.92M	0.55M	0.58M
2023	24.45M	2.98M	0.08M	0.13M		0.70M	0.65M		1.52M		1.39M	0.51M	0.87M	0.49M	0.93M	0.56M	0.59M
2024	24.59M	3.01M	0.08M	0.13M		0.71M	0.65M		1.53M		1.42M	0.51M	0.87M	0.49M	0.94M	0.56M	0.60M
2025	24.74M	3.04M	0.07M	0.13M		0.72M	0.66M		1.55M		1.45M	0.51M	0.87M	0.50M	0.95M	0.57M	0.61M
2026	24.89M	3.07M	0.07M	0.13M		0.72M	0.66M		1.56M		1.46M	0.51M	0.87M	0.50M	0.96M	0.57M	0.63M
2027	25.05M	3.10M	0.07M	0.13M		0.73M	0.66M		1.57M		1.48M	0.51M	0.87M	0.51M	0.98M	0.57M	0.64M
2028	25.21M	3.13M	0.07M	0.13M		0.73M	0.66M		1.59M		1.50M	0.51M	0.87M	0.51M	0.99M	0.58M	0.66M
2029	25.37M	3.16M	0.07M	0.13M		0.74M	0.66M		1.60M		1.51M	0.51M	0.87M	0.52M	1.00M	0.58M	0.67M
2030	25.53M	3.19M	0.07M	0.14M		0.75M	0.66M		1.62M		1.53M	0.51M	0.88M	0.52M	1.01M	0.58M	0.68M
2031	25.65M	3.22M	0.06M	0.14M		0.75M	0.66M		1.63M		1.54M	0.51M	0.88M	0.53M	1.02M	0.59M	0.69M
2032	25.78M	3.25M	0.06M	0.14M		0.76M	0.66M		1.64M		1.56M	0.51M	0.88M	0.53M	1.03M	0.59M	0.70M
2033	25.91M	3.27M	0.06M	0.14M		0.77M	0.66M		1.66M		1.57M	0.51M	0.88M	0.54M	1.05M	0.59M	0.70M
2034	26.03M	3.30M	0.06M	0.14M		0.77M	0.67M		1.67M		1.58M	0.51M	0.88M	0.54M	1.06M	0.60M	0.71M
2035	26.16M	3.32M	0.06M	0.14M		0.78M	0.67M		1.68M		1.60M	0.51M	0.88M	0.55M	1.07M	0.60M	0.72M
2036	26.26M	3.36M	0.06M	0.14M		0.78M	0.67M		1.70M		1.61M	0.51M	0.88M	0.55M	1.08M	0.60M	0.72M
2037	26.36M	3.39M	0.06M	0.14M		0.79M	0.67M		1.72M		1.62M	0.51M	0.88M	0.55M	1.09M	0.60M	0.73M
2038	26.47M	3.42M	0.05M	0.14M		0.79M	0.67M		1.74M		1.63M	0.51M	0.88M	0.56M	1.10M	0.61M	0.73M
2039	26.57M	3.45M	0.05M	0.14M		0.80M	0.67M		1.75M		1.64M	0.51M	0.88M	0.56M	1.11M	0.61M	0.74M
2040	26.67M	3.49M	0.05M	0.14M		0.80M	0.67M		1.77M		1.65M	0.51M	0.88M	0.57M	1.12M	0.61M	0.74M
2041	26.74M	3.51M		0.14M		0.81M	0.67M		1.79M		1.66M	0.51M	0.88M	0.57M	1.13M	0.61M	0.74M
2042	26.80M	3.53M		0.14M		0.82M	0.67M		1.80M		1.67M	0.51M	0.88M	0.58M	1.13M	0.62M	0.75M
2043	26.87M	3.55M		0.14M		0.82M	0.67M		1.82M		1.67M	0.51M	0.88M	0.58M	1.14M	0.62M	0.75M
2044	26.94M	3.56M		0.14M		0.83M	0.67M		1.84M		1.68M	0.51M	0.88M	0.58M	1.14M	0.62M	0.75M
2045	27.01M	3.58M		0.14M		0.84M	0.67M		1.85M		1.69M	0.51M	0.89M	0.59M	1.15M	0.62M	0.76M
2046	27.03M	3.60M		0.14M		0.84M	0.67M		1.86M		1.69M	0.51M	0.88M	0.59M	1.17M	0.63M	0.76M
2047	27.05M	3.61M		0.14M		0.84M	0.67M		1.88M		1.69M	0.51M	0.88M	0.59M	1.18M	0.63M	0.76M
2048	27.08M	3.62M		0.14M		0.85M	0.67M		1.89M		1.70M	0.51M	0.88M	0.59M	1.20M	0.63M	0.77M
2049	27.10M	3.64M		0.14M		0.85M	0.67M		1.90M		1.70M	0.51M	0.88M	0.60M	1.21M	0.63M	0.77M
2050	27.12M	3.65M		0.14M		0.85M	0.67M		1.91M		1.71M	0.51M	0.88M	0.60M	1.23M	0.63M	0.77M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Philippines?

Manila is the largest city in Philippines in the UN 2025 series, with about 24.74 million people. Cebu City follows at 3.04 million. These figures use the UN Degree of Urbanization definition, not municipal boundaries.

Which city is projected to be largest in Philippines in 2050?

The UN projects Manila to rank first in 2050, with about 27.12 million people. This is a projection, not an observed population count.

Was Manila also the largest city in 1975?

The 1975 ranking was led by Manila, with 8.33 million people. The table preserves every city that reached the top ten in any year shown, including cities outside the top ten today.

Where does this data come from?

UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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