Pilar is politically classified as a 4th class economy. Development in basic infrastructure has been stagnant during the last decades. Annual income is low and poverty rates are said to be high, although the town has also seen greater years. The rural municipality is said to be rich in natural resources such as aquatic and mineral wealth. It used to be a very strong seafood producer in the province and once even possessed its own sugar and mining industry.

Major agricultural products of the town include fish, prawn, crab, rice, sugar, cattle and poultry. The town also has its own Baptist Church and Iglesia ni Kristo Parish as wellas its own rural bank along the town market. Dulangan and Casanayan serve as satellite villages of the town.

Most of the town's population are made up by Austronesian descendants, followed by Aetas and a few of Chinese and Spanish ancestry.