Barangay Santa Cruz

Barangay Santa Cruz is a mid-sized barangay in the City of Tarlac, located in the province of Tarlac, in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Santa Cruz had a population of 4,265. This made it the 29th largest of 76 barangays in City of Tarlac by population, placing it in the middle tier of the city. Residents of Barangay Santa Cruz accounted for approximately 1.11% of the total population of City of Tarlac, which stood at 385,398 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 3,918 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 4,265 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +8.9%, consistent with a growing settlement. Barangay Santa Cruz is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

City of Tarlac is a city comprising 76 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Santa Cruz, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Tarlac, which contains 511 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Santa Cruz ranks 89th by 2020 population. Tarlac is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

The barangay's legislative and executive affairs are handled by a Punong Barangay and the Sangguniang Barangay, elected nationwide during the Barangay and SK Elections. The next BSKE is scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, following the synchronized election schedule set by COMELEC Resolution No. 11191.