Economy, jobs and prices in Ceara, Brazil: official figures
The gross domestic product of Ceara was R$232.2 billion in 2023 at current prices, 2.1% of Brazil's R$10.94 trillion and 13th largest of 27. In current reais it was up 8.7% on 2022.
How fast is the economy of Ceara growing?
After removing price changes, the economy of Ceara grew 3.0% in 2023, against 3.2% for Brazil; 11th slowest growth of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHas the economy of Ceara grown since 2010?
In real terms, GDP in Ceara was 18.0% higher in 2023 than in 2010 (Brazil: 15.1% higher), 10th smallest growth of 27 over the period. Its share of national GDP moved from 2.04% in 2010 to 2.12% in 2023.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Ceara?
Dividing 2023 GDP by the 2022 census population (IBGE used the census count for 2023 because no 2023 estimate was made) gives R$26,406 per person, 0.49 times the Brazilian figure of R$53,887; 4th lowest of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat are the main industries in Ceara?
In 2023 services made up 75.8% of gross value added in Ceara, industry 18.3% and agriculture and livestock 6.0% (10th lowest agricultural share of 27; Brazil 6.9%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow big is the public sector in the economy of Ceara?
The largest activities in the economy of Ceara in 2023 were public administration, defence, public education and health, and social security (24.8% of gross value added), other services (18.6%) and trade and vehicle repair (12.7%). The public sector (administration, public education and health, social security) accounted for 24.8%, 13th highest of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Ceara?
The unemployment rate in Ceara was 6.6% in April to June 2026, according to IBGE's PNAD Continua survey, against 5.4% for Brazil; tied for 9th highest of 27. A year earlier (April to June 2025) it was 6.6%.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat was the highest unemployment rate in Ceara?
Since the PNAD Continua series began in 2012, quarterly unemployment in Ceara peaked at 14.5% in January to March 2017; its lowest rate was 5.0% in October to December 2025.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the labour force participation rate in Ceara?
In April to June 2026, 51.8% of people aged 14 and over in Ceara were in the labour force (working or looking for work), tied for 3rd lowest of 27 (Brazil 62.1%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow many people are employed in Ceara?
About 3,654,000 people in Ceara were employed in April to June 2026 and 257,000 were unemployed; 48.4% of the population aged 14 and over had a job (3rd lowest of 27).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow many workers in Ceara are informal?
48.7% of employed people in Ceara worked informally in April to June 2026 (about 1,781,000 people), against 37.4% nationally; 6th highest of 27. A year earlier the rate was 51.0%.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Ceara?
Employed people in Ceara usually earned an average of R$2,636 a month from their main job in April to June 2026 (Brazil R$3,621); 6th lowest of 27. Adjusted for inflation that is up 11.9% on a year earlier and up 14.7% on April to June 2019.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the average household income in Ceara?
Average household income per person in Ceara was R$1,379 a month in 2025, against R$2,264 for Brazil; 3rd lowest of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow big is the gap between rich and poor in Ceara?
In 2025 the richest 10% of people in Ceara had an average household income of R$5,609 per person a month and the poorest 10% R$180, a ratio of 31.2 to 1 (9th widest gap of 27).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Ceara?
The Gini index of household income per person in Ceara was 0.506 in 2025 (Brazil 0.511), tied for 10th most unequal of 27; in 2019 it was 0.562.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the average income in Ceara?
Average household income per person in Ceara was R$1,202 a month in 2024 and the median was R$792; the average is 2nd lowest of the 26 states and the Federal District (Brazil: R$2,017 average, R$1,328 median).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyIs income growing in Ceara?
In 2024 prices, average household income per person in Ceara went from R$1,222 a month in 2019 to R$1,202 in 2024, a change of -0.3% a year (Brazil: 2.2% a year); for the poorest 40% the change was 4.8% a year.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyMore figures
- White residents of Ceara had an average household income of R$1,648 per person a month in 2024, against R$1,054 for Black and mixed-race (preto or pardo) residents. Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy
How Ceara compares with other states
GDP at current prices, 2023 (2023)
Ceara ranks 13 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | GDP at current prices, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Mato Grosso | R$273.0 billion |
| 11 | Pernambuco | R$270.5 billion |
| 12 | Para | R$254.5 billion |
| 13 | Ceara | R$232.2 billion |
| 14 | Espirito Santo | R$209.8 billion |
| 15 | Mato Grosso do Sul | R$184.4 billion |
| 16 | Amazonas | R$161.8 billion |
GDP per person, 2023 (2023 GDP / 2022 census population) (2023)
Ceara ranks 24 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | GDP per person, 2023 (2023 GDP / 2022 census population) |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Pernambuco | R$29,857 |
| 22 | Alagoas | R$28,676 |
| 23 | Sergipe | R$27,519 |
| 24 | Ceara | R$26,406 |
| 25 | Piaui | R$24,736 |
| 26 | Paraiba | R$24,395 |
| 27 | Maranhao | R$22,021 |
Real GDP growth, 2023 (2023)
Ceara ranks 17 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Distrito Federal | 3.3% |
| 15 | Sergipe | 3.1% |
| 16 | Piaui | 3.1% |
| 17 | Ceara | 3.0% |
| 18 | Paraiba | 3.0% |
| 19 | Amapa | 2.9% |
| 20 | Pernambuco | 2.4% |
Real GDP growth, 2010-2023 (cumulative) (2010-2023)
Ceara ranks 18 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2010-2023 (cumulative) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Rondonia | 20.9% |
| 16 | Rio Grande do Norte | 18.9% |
| 17 | Para | 18.8% |
| 18 | Ceara | 18.0% |
| 19 | Pernambuco | 14.9% |
| 20 | Parana | 14.3% |
| 21 | Rio de Janeiro | 12.2% |
Agriculture and livestock share of gross value added, 2023 (2023)
Ceara ranks 18 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Agriculture and livestock share of gross value added, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Minas Gerais | 7.3% |
| 16 | Santa Catarina | 7.1% |
| 17 | Sergipe | 6.5% |
| 18 | Ceara | 6.0% |
| 19 | Pernambuco | 5.7% |
| 20 | Amazonas | 5.4% |
| 21 | Espirito Santo | 5.4% |
Unemployment rate, Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Ceara ranks 9 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Sergipe | 7.9% |
| 7 | Amazonas | 7.5% |
| 8 | Rio de Janeiro | 7.1% |
| 9 | Ceara | 6.6% |
| 10 | Acre | 6.6% |
| 11 | Distrito Federal | 6.5% |
| 12 | Para | 6.2% |
Labour force participation rate (age 14+), Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Ceara ranks 25 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Labour force participation rate (age 14+), Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Acre | 54.4% |
| 22 | Piaui | 52.9% |
| 23 | Maranhao | 52.3% |
| 24 | Pernambuco | 51.8% |
| 25 | Ceara | 51.8% |
| 26 | Alagoas | 51.6% |
| 27 | Rio Grande do Norte | 51.4% |
Informality rate of employed people, Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Ceara ranks 6 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Informality rate of employed people, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Amazonas | 51.7% |
| 4 | Bahia | 50.7% |
| 5 | Piaui | 49.5% |
| 6 | Ceara | 48.7% |
| 7 | Sergipe | 47.3% |
| 8 | Paraiba | 45.8% |
| 9 | Pernambuco | 45.4% |
Average usual monthly earnings, main job, Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Ceara ranks 22 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average usual monthly earnings, main job, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Amazonas | R$2,704 |
| 20 | Pernambuco | R$2,645 |
| 21 | Paraiba | R$2,644 |
| 22 | Ceara | R$2,636 |
| 23 | Para | R$2,506 |
| 24 | Bahia | R$2,469 |
| 25 | Alagoas | R$2,466 |
Average monthly household income per person, 2025 (2025)
Ceara ranks 25 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average monthly household income per person, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Bahia | R$1,452 |
| 22 | Amazonas | R$1,450 |
| 23 | Para | R$1,435 |
| 24 | Alagoas | R$1,401 |
| 25 | Ceara | R$1,379 |
| 26 | Acre | R$1,372 |
| 27 | Maranhao | R$1,231 |
Gini index of household income per person, 2025 (2025)
Ceara ranks 10 of 27, highest first. Gini index: 0 means everyone has the same income, 1 means one person has all of it.
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income per person, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Acre | 0.509 |
| 8 | Piaui | 0.508 |
| 9 | Paraiba | 0.507 |
| 10 | Ceara | 0.506 |
| 11 | Roraima | 0.506 |
| 12 | Amapa | 0.496 |
| 13 | Para | 0.492 |
Average monthly household income per person (R$) (2024)
Ceara ranks 26 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average monthly household income per person (R$) |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Bahia | R$1,329 |
| 22 | Para | R$1,322 |
| 23 | Alagoas | R$1,318 |
| 24 | Acre | R$1,250 |
| 25 | Amazonas | R$1,237 |
| 26 | Ceara | R$1,202 |
| 27 | Maranhao | R$1,079 |
More on Ceara: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · Brazil
Sources
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE): Sistema de Contas Regionais: Brasil 2023, special tables 2010-2023 (table 1 GDP at current prices, table 3 chained volume index of GDP, table 7 composition of gross value added), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 948efefe5846…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE): PNAD Continua trimestral: SIDRA table 5436, average real monthly usual earnings from the main job of employed people aged 14 and over, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 136668052cfe…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE): PNAD Continua anual: SIDRA table 7435, Gini index of household income per person, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c1d74e53cf3b…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE): PNAD Continua anual: SIDRA table 7531, average monthly household income per person (total, poorest 10%, richest 10%), at each year's average prices, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fbfec5f10cf3…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE): Produto Interno Bruto dos Municipios 2023, table 5: share of the five municipalities with the largest GDP in each state's GDP, municipalities and population, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3a0c51d647ca…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE): PNAD Continua trimestral: SIDRA table 4093, people aged 14 and over by labour force status, participation, employment, unemployment and informality rates, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 56ea7680db47…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE): Sintese de Indicadores Sociais 2025, chapter 2 tables (income distribution and poverty): Tables 2.1, 2.11, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.18, 2.20, 2.22, 2.23 (PNAD Continua 2024), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e2084f0fca81…)
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