It is therefore that a growing business district on one hand, a cluster of educational institutions and several transportation stations on the other shares the city's center built-up area. With this trio role, the city expands in four directions.

To the north, from the San Agustin Church, it moves along Barangay Sindalan, Baliti and Telabastagan as a new business district where giant beverage manufacturers stand. Locators are Honda Cars Pampanga, COSMOS, San Miguel Corporation, Magnolia, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Asia Brewery, Universal Robina Corporation and the like.

To the east business district is the monolithic Robinsons Starmills and SM City Pampanga, the city's biggest modern shopping complex with their spacious parking areas. Along the Olongapo-Gapan Road eastern area are the HILAGA: Northern Philippines – Historical, Cultural, Tourism and Entertainment Village (formerly Philippine Christmas Village / Paskuhan Village ) and the automotive distributors Chevrolet, Ford, General Motors, Mitsubishi - Carworld, Isuzu, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia and reconditioned truck and van dealers.

Further west, business burst out in the direction of Dolores as it proceeds towards the neighboring town Bacolor. Along this area are the native Kapampangan cuisine restaurants, fast foods - Max's Restaurant, Jollibee, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Greenwich , Shakey's, Chowking - and other food conglomerates like Bakeline, Pampanga's Best, Tapa King and others.

Going south, from the City Hall and cathedral complex, the built-up areas embrace the old and new public market to the San Nicolas business district where the Camp Olivas is situated.

As the capital of Pampanga, it serves as the seat of the provincial government. It is also the regional center of Central Luzon, San Fernando is home to regional offices of the line agencies of the government.

According to a study, San Fernando 's strategic location within the Manila Clark-Subic Economic Triangle makes it a growing agro-industrial-commercial metropolis. The businessmen respondents are very happy with the flexibility of business taxes and land use regulations. Survey also reveals that the business community feels secured in the city government's management of the affairs of the city. This only show that the City of San Fernando is not only economically competitive, it also harbors a responsive local government unit.