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Population increased to 695,149 persons
The total population of Samar (Western), as of August 1, 2007, was 695,149 persons. This represented an increase of 54,025 persons over the total population of 641,124 persons in 2000. This increase translated to an annual population growth rate (PGR) of 1.12 percent for the period 2000 to 2007, lower than the PGR of 1.82 percent recorded for the period 1995 to 2000.
Average household size was 5.1 persons
The number of households was posted at 135,355 in 2007, or an increase of 11,109 households from the 2000 figure. Likewise, household population increased from 640,079 persons in 2000 to 693,889 persons in 2007. The average household size in 2007 was 5.1 persons, the same figure reported in 2000.
Calbayog City was the largest area in terms of population size
Among the two cities and 24 municipalities in Samar (Western), Calbayog City had the largest population with 23.5 percent share. This was followed by the City of Catbalogan, the provincial capital (13.3 percent), and the municipalities of Basey (7.0 percent), Daram (5.5 percent), and Santa Rita (5.0 percent). The rest of the muncipalities had a share of less than 5.0 percent each. The least populated area was the municipality of Matuguinao with 0.9 percent share to the total population.
Sex ratio was 107 males per 100 females
Of the 693,889 household population of Samar (Western), there were 359,176 males and 334,713 females, resulting to a sex ratio of 107 males for every 100 females. This was higher than the sex ratio of 106 males per 100 females in 2000.
Median age increased by one year
In 2007, the household population of Samar (Western) had a median age of 19 years, which implies that half of the household population were below 19 years old. In 2000, the median age was 18 years.
Household population aged 5 to 9 years comprised the largest age group with a share of 14.0 percent. This was followed by age groups 10 to 14 years and 0 to 4 years with 13.7 percent share each.
There were more males than females in age groups 0 to 54 years. Females, on the other hand, outnumbered males in the rest of the age groups (55 years and over.)
Proportion of males of voting age was higher than that of females
More than half (51.9 percent) of the household population in Samar (Western) belonged to the voting-age population (18 years old and over). The proportion of voting-age population for males (51.7 percent) was higher than that for females (48.3 percent). The voting-age population in 2007 (360,442 persons) was 9.9 percent higher than the voting-age population (328,105 persons) recorded in 2000.
Overall dependency ratio dropped to 86 dependents per 100 working-age population
The proportion of household population in the working age group (15 to 64 years) was 53.7 percent, young dependents (0 to14 years) comprised 41.3 percent, while old dependents (65 years and over) accounted for 5.0 percent.
The overall dependency ratio in 2007 was 86, which means that for every 100 persons in the working age group, there were about 86 dependents (77 young dependents and 9 old dependents). In 2000, there were about 89 dependents (80 young dependents and 9 old dependents) for every 100 persons in the working age group.
More never-married males than females
In 2007, about 43.1 percent of the household population 10 years old and over were never married, while married persons shared almost the same proportion (42.8 percent). The rest (14.1 percent) were either widowed, divorced/separated, in common law/live-in marital arrangement, or had unknown marital status. Moreover, there were more females than males in all categories for marital status, except for the never-married category.
More females had attained higher levels of education
Of the household population five years old and over, 52.7 percent had attended or finished elementary education, 20.9 percent had reached or completed high school, 4.7 percent were college undergraduates, and 5.2 percent were academic degree holders.
There were more females than males among those who had attained higher levels of education. Females comprised 59.4 percent of those with academic degrees and 60.2 percent of those with post baccalaureate courses.
Among the household population 5 to 24 years old, 60.3 percent had attended school at anytime during School Year 2007 to 2008. Of the total males aged 5 to 24 years, 57.3 percent had attended school at anytime during the said school year. Attendance for females, meanwhile, was 63.8 percent of the total females aged 5 to 24 years.
Ratio of household and person per occupied housing unit remained the same
From a total of 122,836 occupied housing units in 2000, the number of occupied housing units reached 134,429 in 2007, showing an increase of 9.4 percent. In 2007, a ratio of 101 households per 100 occupied housing units was recorded, or a ratio of 5.2 persons per occupied housing unit. The same ratios were recorded in 2000.
Light materials were commonly used for roofs and outer walls
More than one third (34.9 percent) of the 134,429 occupied housing units in the province had outer walls made of wood, while 33.2 percent had outer walls made of bamboo/sawali/cogon/nipa. As to construction materials of the roofs, more than half (50.2 percent) of the occupied housing units had roofs made of cogon/nipa/anahaw.
