Poverty and living standards in Maranhao, Brazil: official figures
45.8% of people in Maranhao lived on household income below the World Bank poverty line of US$6.85 a day (PPP 2017) in 2024, about 3.19 million people; 2nd highest of the 26 states and the Federal District (Brazil: 23.1%).
Is poverty falling in Maranhao?
The poverty rate in Maranhao was 62.0% in 2019 and 64.4% in 2012, so the 2024 figure of 45.8% is down 16.2 percentage points on 2019 (Brazil: 32.6% in 2019, 23.1% in 2024).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow many people live in extreme poverty in Maranhao?
10.1% of people in Maranhao were in extreme poverty in 2024, living on less than US$2.15 a day (PPP 2017), about R$218 a month per person; the highest of the 26 states and the Federal District (Brazil: 3.5%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow many people in Maranhao live on less than a quarter of the minimum wage?
20.9% of people in Maranhao lived in households with income of up to a quarter of the minimum wage per person (R$353 a month) in 2024, and a further 27.6% on between a quarter and half (R$704); the first share is the highest of the 26 states and the Federal District (Brazil: 7.9%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Maranhao?
The Gini index of household income per person in Maranhao was 0.487 in 2024 (0 means everyone has the same income, 1 that one person has all of it), 14th most unequal of the 26 states and the Federal District; Brazil's was 0.504. In 2019 Maranhao's index was 0.531.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow much income do the richest 10% get in Maranhao?
The richest 10% of people in Maranhao received 38.2% of all household income in 2024 and the poorest 40% received 12.5%, a Palma ratio of 3.06 (Brazil: 3.31).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyMore figures
- Counting only income from work, pensions and other non-benefit sources, the Gini index in Maranhao would have been 0.573 in 2024 instead of 0.487 (Brazil: 0.542 instead of 0.504). Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy
How Maranhao compares with other states
People below the US$6.85 a day poverty line (%) (2024)
Maranhao ranks 2 of 27, highest first. Household income per person below US$6.85 a day at 2017 purchasing power parity; PNAD Continua.
| Rank | Region | People below the US$6.85 a day poverty line (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acre | 45.9% |
| 2 | Maranhao | 45.8% |
| 3 | Ceara | 43.3% |
| 4 | Alagoas | 40.9% |
| 5 | Pernambuco | 40.2% |
| 6 | Amazonas | 39.2% |
| 7 | Para | 38.6% |
People in extreme poverty, below US$2.15 a day (%) (2024)
Maranhao ranks 1 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in extreme poverty, below US$2.15 a day (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maranhao | 10.1% |
| 2 | Ceara | 7.9% |
| 3 | Acre | 7.6% |
| 4 | Alagoas | 6.8% |
| 5 | Roraima | 6.5% |
| 6 | Pernambuco | 6.2% |
| 7 | Bahia | 5.7% |
Poverty rate without government social benefits (%) (2024)
Maranhao ranks 1 of 27, highest first. IBGE simulation removing income from social programmes such as Bolsa Familia and BPC.
| Rank | Region | Poverty rate without government social benefits (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maranhao | 53.5% |
| 2 | Acre | 53.5% |
| 3 | Ceara | 51.9% |
| 4 | Para | 49.1% |
| 5 | Amazonas | 48.8% |
| 6 | Alagoas | 48.4% |
| 7 | Pernambuco | 48.0% |
Gini index of household income per person (2024)
Maranhao ranks 14 of 27, highest first. 0 = complete equality, 1 = complete inequality.
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income per person |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Piaui | 0.493 |
| 12 | Para | 0.490 |
| 13 | Sao Paulo | 0.489 |
| 14 | Maranhao | 0.487 |
| 15 | Ceara | 0.487 |
| 16 | Espirito Santo | 0.480 |
| 17 | Bahia | 0.477 |
People living on up to 1/4 minimum wage per person (%) (2024)
Maranhao ranks 1 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People living on up to 1/4 minimum wage per person (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maranhao | 20.9% |
| 2 | Ceara | 17.1% |
| 3 | Pernambuco | 16.1% |
| 4 | Acre | 16.0% |
| 5 | Alagoas | 15.3% |
| 6 | Bahia | 13.8% |
| 7 | Para | 13.8% |
More on Maranhao: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Brazil
Sources
- 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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