Barangay San Rafael Alto

Barangay San Rafael Alto forms part of Santo Tomas, a municipality in Isabela, and is classified as a small barangay.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay San Rafael Alto had a population of 675. This made it the 17th largest of 27 barangays in Santo Tomas by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay San Rafael Alto accounted for approximately 2.75% of the total population of Santo Tomas, which stood at 24,528 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 630 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 675 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +7.1%, consistent with a growing settlement. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay San Rafael Alto as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Santo Tomas is a municipality comprising 27 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay San Rafael Alto, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Isabela, which contains 1,055 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay San Rafael Alto ranks 836th by 2020 population. Isabela 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.