Poverty and living standards in São Paulo, Brazil: official figures
At the 2022 census, 21.1% of residents of São Paulo lived in households with an income per person of no more than half the minimum wage (R$ 606 a month), the 131st lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities and the 1397th lowest of Brazil's 5,509 municipalities (Brazil: 31.8%).
How many people in São Paulo live in extreme poverty?
9.3% of people in São Paulo had a household income per person of a quarter of the minimum wage (R$ 303) or less in 2022, including the 4.5% in households with no income, the 143rd highest of 320 major Brazilian cities (Brazil: 13.3%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in São Paulo?
The mean household income per person in São Paulo was R$ 2,713 a month in 2022, 2.0 times the median of R$ 1,340; 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 São Paulo lack proper sanitation?
4.4% of São Paulo'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 100th lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities; Brazil: 24.2%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copyIs rubbish collected in São Paulo?
Rubbish was collected by a cleaning service, at the door or from a skip, for 99.7% of residents of São Paulo in 2022 (Brazil: 91.0%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copyMore figures
- 4.5% of São Paulo's residents lived in households with no income per person at the 2022 census, the 25th highest of 320 major Brazilian cities (Brazil: 2.9%). Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copy
How São Paulo compares with other cities in Brazil
People with household income per person up to 1/2 minimum wage (%) (2022)
São Paulo ranks 190 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | People with household income per person up to 1/2 minimum wage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 187 | Barueri | 21.4% |
| 188 | Cuiabá | 21.3% |
| 189 | Itumbiara | 21.2% |
| 190 | São Paulo | 21.1% |
| 191 | Contagem | 21.0% |
| 192 | Araguari | 20.9% |
| 193 | Rio Verde | 20.9% |
People with household income per person up to 1/4 minimum wage (%) (2022)
São Paulo ranks 143 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | People with household income per person up to 1/4 minimum wage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 140 | Araguaína | 9.5% |
| 141 | Montes Claros | 9.4% |
| 142 | Rio das Ostras | 9.4% |
| 143 | São Paulo | 9.3% |
| 144 | Ibirité | 9.1% |
| 145 | Jandira | 9.0% |
| 146 | Petrópolis | 9.0% |
Residents without adequate sewage disposal (%) (2022)
São Paulo ranks 221 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents without adequate sewage disposal (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 218 | Fazenda Rio Grande | 4.4% |
| 219 | Campinas | 4.4% |
| 220 | Alvorada | 4.4% |
| 221 | São Paulo | 4.4% |
| 222 | Nova Lima | 4.4% |
| 223 | Caxias do Sul | 4.3% |
| 224 | Piraquara | 4.3% |
More on São Paulo: 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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