Barangay Santa Cruz

Classified as a small barangay, Barangay Santa Cruz is one of the administrative divisions of Zaragoza in Nueva Ecija, Central Luzon, Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Santa Cruz had a population of 1,849. This made it the 12th largest of 19 barangays in Zaragoza by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Santa Cruz accounted for approximately 3.48% of the total population of Zaragoza, which stood at 53,090 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 1,732 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 1,849 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +6.8%, 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.

Zaragoza is a municipality comprising 19 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 Nueva Ecija, which contains 849 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Santa Cruz ranks 476th by 2020 population. Nueva Ecija is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay Santa Cruz is led by an elected Punong Barangay (barangay captain) supported by seven Sangguniang Barangay members (kagawads), an SK Chairperson, a Barangay Secretary, and a Barangay Treasurer. The next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) are scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, with officials serving four-year terms under Republic Act No. 12232.