Ayungon (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Ayungon; Tagalog: Bayan ng Ayungon), officially the Municipality of Ayungon, is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 47,102 people.

Attractions include the Karalaon Bird Sanctuary, the subterranean area of the Mabato Caves, and the Pagsalsalan Twin Falls (Maaslum Falls).

Ayungon is 82 kilometres (51 mi) from Dumaguete.

There are at least two variations of the name's origin. According to Dr. Tomoteo S. Oracion of Silliman University, during the pre-colonial periods, a certain locality is named after the most popular person living in it. The most popular person happened to be a fisherman named "Ayung", who has his own hut where travellers would stop by. It was referred to as "Ayung's Place," which was later suffixed with "-on" to form "Ayungon". Another variation revolves around the Spaniards asking a native, who was cutting a tree, about the name of the place. The native thought they were asking for his name, so he answered "Ayung". The Spaniards asked the same question again, but this time, the native thought they were asking the name of tree he was cutting, so he answered "Dungon". The Spaniards coined the term "Ayung-Dungon" to refer to this area, which was later shortened to "Ayungon".

During the Spanish regime, the original town plaza was located at the beach, which was transferred further inland due to a massive flood. The town also suffered an epidemic of smallpox which took away two-thirds of the town's population. Old municipal profiles refer to Ayungon as Todos los Santos, though there are no legends to explain that Hispanic name, just as there are no tales elaborating on the ruins of apparently Hispanic fortifications on the Tampocon II shoreline, perhaps because Ayungon's colonial past was not entirely its own. For many years, it was a mere barrio of Tayasan, until 1924 when Governor General Leonard Wood came to establish Ayungon as a full-fledged municipality through the recommendation of the then-provincial governor, Enrique Villanueva.

During World War II, numerous houses were burned, as well as people being tortured and killed. Many of them passed away due to famine and malaria. Maximo Enardecido, the mayor at the time, evacuated the municipal government to Pangi, a mountainous village located south of the Poblacion. Captain Eugenio “Kusgan” Antonio led the town's guerilla movement. The town was liberated in October 1944, and the Americans came in to rehabilitate the town by lending money to pay for war damages.

Ayungon is located on the midriff of Oriental Negros’ northern stretch, approximately two hours from Dumaguete.

Of only three virgin forests said to be still remaining on Negros Island, one is located in barangay Banban.

Ayungon is politically subdivided into 24 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2020		2010
074602001	Amdus	2.2%	1,049	1,407	▾	−2.89%
074602003	Anibong	4.5%	2,102	2,131	▾	−0.14%
074602004	Atabay	3.0%	1,398	1,225	▴	1.33%
074602005	Awa-an	5.8%	2,718	2,474	▴	0.94%
074602006	Ban-ban	5.6%	2,622	2,299	▴	1.32%
074602007	Calagcalag	3.6%	1,718	1,711	▴	0.04%
074602008	Candana-ay	2.3%	1,098	1,958	▾	−5.62%
074602009	Carol-an	7.2%	3,375	2,899	▴	1.53%
074602010	Gomentoc	4.6%	2,173	2,065	▴	0.51%
074602011	Inacban	3.8%	1,803	1,588	▴	1.28%
074602012	Iniban	2.8%	1,298	1,273	▴	0.19%
074602002	Jandalamanon	2.4%	1,107	1,167	▾	−0.53%
074602013	Kilaban	1.6%	744	846	▾	−1.28%
074602014	Lamigan	2.5%	1,195	844	▴	3.54%
074602015	Maaslum	3.7%	1,741	1,799	▾	−0.33%
074602016	Mabato	6.7%	3,164	3,253	▾	−0.28%
074602017	Manogtong	2.9%	1,348	1,603	▾	−1.72%
074602018	Nabhang	2.6%	1,228	1,463	▾	−1.74%
074602024	Poblacion	4.3%	2,036	1,837	▴	1.03%
074602019	Tambo	8.9%	4,189	3,188	▴	2.77%
074602020	Tampocon I	4.5%	2,127	1,944	▴	0.90%
074602021	Tampocon II	4.7%	2,196	2,674	▾	−1.95%
074602022	Tibyawan	3.8%	1,797	1,867	▾	−0.38%
074602023	Tiguib	6.1%	2,876	2,631	▴	0.89%
	Total		47,102	46,146	▴	0.21%

Population census of Ayungon

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1939 12,777 —     1948 14,797 +1.64% 1960 21,539 +3.18% 1970 23,165 +0.73% 1975 23,639 +0.41% 1980 27,656 +3.19% 1990 33,317 +1.88%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1995 36,928 +1.95% 2000 40,744 +2.13% 2007 42,643 +0.63% 2010 46,146 +2.91% 2015 46,303 +0.06% 2020 47,102 +0.34%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Poverty incidence of Ayungon

10 20 30 40 50 60 2006 49.70 2009 51.59 2012 51.33 2015 52.41 2018 30.50 2021 38.42 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Ayungon is mostly rural with vast rice fields, dense coconut groves and expansive plantations of sugar cane, bananas and pineapple.

The public schools in the town of Ayungon are administered by two school districts under the Schools Division of Negros Oriental.

Elementary schools:

High schools:

• Ayungon National High School — Nat'l Highway, Tampocon I
• Ayungon NHS - Carol-an Extension — Carol-an
• Ayungon Science High School — Todos Los Santos Street, Tampocon II
• Mabato Provincial Community High School — Mabato
• Tambo National High School — Tambo

Private schools:

• Negros Academy-Negros College, Inc. — Enardecido Street, Tampocon II

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Official Website
• Local Governance Performance Management System