Poverty and living standards in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: official figures
At the 2022 census, 26.5% of residents of Rio de Janeiro lived in households with an income per person of no more than half the minimum wage (R$ 606 a month), the 137th highest of 320 major Brazilian cities and the 2146th lowest of Brazil's 5,509 municipalities (Brazil: 31.8%).
How many people in Rio de Janeiro live in extreme poverty?
12.3% of people in Rio de Janeiro had a household income per person of a quarter of the minimum wage (R$ 303) or less in 2022, including the 5.1% in households with no income, the 102nd highest of 320 major Brazilian cities (Brazil: 13.3%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Rio de Janeiro?
The mean household income per person in Rio de Janeiro was R$ 2,515 a month in 2022, 2.1 times the median of R$ 1,212; a wider gap means income is more concentrated at the top (Brazil: mean R$ 1,638, median R$ 1,000).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copyHow many homes in Rio de Janeiro lack proper sanitation?
4.2% of Rio de Janeiro's residents lived in homes whose sewage went to a rudimentary pit, a ditch, a river, lake or the sea, or that had no bathroom or toilet (2022 census; the 96th lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities; Brazil: 24.2%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copyIs rubbish collected in Rio de Janeiro?
Rubbish was collected by a cleaning service, at the door or from a skip, for 99.1% of residents of Rio de Janeiro in 2022 (Brazil: 91.0%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copyMore figures
- 5.1% of Rio de Janeiro's residents lived in households with no income per person at the 2022 census, the 11th highest of 320 major Brazilian cities (Brazil: 2.9%). Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copy
How Rio de Janeiro compares with other cities in Brazil
People with household income per person up to 1/2 minimum wage (%) (2022)
Rio de Janeiro ranks 137 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | People with household income per person up to 1/2 minimum wage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 134 | São Vicente | 26.8% |
| 135 | Serra | 26.7% |
| 136 | Guarapari | 26.6% |
| 137 | Rio de Janeiro | 26.5% |
| 138 | Uruguaiana | 26.4% |
| 139 | Franco da Rocha | 26.4% |
| 140 | Senador Canedo | 26.2% |
People with household income per person up to 1/4 minimum wage (%) (2022)
Rio de Janeiro ranks 102 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | People with household income per person up to 1/4 minimum wage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 99 | Aracaju | 12.4% |
| 100 | João Pessoa | 12.4% |
| 101 | Mossoró | 12.3% |
| 102 | Rio de Janeiro | 12.3% |
| 103 | Itapecerica da Serra | 12.3% |
| 104 | Eunápolis | 12.1% |
| 105 | Lauro de Freitas | 12.1% |
Residents without adequate sewage disposal (%) (2022)
Rio de Janeiro ranks 225 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents without adequate sewage disposal (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 222 | Nova Lima | 4.4% |
| 223 | Caxias do Sul | 4.3% |
| 224 | Piraquara | 4.3% |
| 225 | Rio de Janeiro | 4.2% |
| 226 | Contagem | 4.2% |
| 227 | Resende | 4.1% |
| 228 | Niterói | 4.1% |
More on Rio de Janeiro: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · all cities in Brazil
Sources
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE): Censo Demográfico 2022: residents of permanent private households by class of monthly household income per person in minimum wages, Brazil, states and municipalities (SIDRA table 10296; API response in codes-only format), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4896427475f0…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE): Censo Demográfico 2022: mean and median monthly household income per person of residents of permanent private households, Brazil, states and municipalities (SIDRA table 10295), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 34331c7982e4…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE): Censo Demográfico 2022, Agregados por Municípios: household characteristics part 3, residents of occupied permanent private households by sewage destination, water source and rubbish disposal, every municipality, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1b96b1e32794…)
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