Economy, jobs and prices in Paraiba, Brazil: official figures
The gross domestic product of Paraiba was R$97.0 billion in 2023 at current prices, 0.9% of Brazil's R$10.94 trillion and 9th smallest of 27. In current reais it was up 12.6% on 2022.
How fast is the economy of Paraiba growing?
After removing price changes, the economy of Paraiba grew 3.0% in 2023, against 3.2% for Brazil; 10th slowest growth of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHas the economy of Paraiba grown since 2010?
In real terms, GDP in Paraiba was 26.9% higher in 2023 than in 2010 (Brazil: 15.1% higher), 9th largest growth of 27 over the period. Its share of national GDP moved from 0.86% in 2010 to 0.89% in 2023.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Paraiba?
Dividing 2023 GDP by the 2022 census population (IBGE used the census count for 2023 because no 2023 estimate was made) gives R$24,395 per person, 0.45 times the Brazilian figure of R$53,887; 2nd lowest of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat are the main industries in Paraiba?
In 2023 services made up 80.7% of gross value added in Paraiba, industry 14.5% and agriculture and livestock 4.8% (6th 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 Paraiba?
The largest activities in the economy of Paraiba in 2023 were public administration, defence, public education and health, and social security (32.0% of gross value added), other services (16.4%) and trade and vehicle repair (15.0%). The public sector (administration, public education and health, social security) accounted for 32.0%, 5th highest of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Paraiba?
The unemployment rate in Paraiba was 5.4% in April to June 2026, according to IBGE's PNAD Continua survey, against 5.4% for Brazil; tied for 12th lowest of 27. A year earlier (April to June 2025) it was 7.0%.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat was the highest unemployment rate in Paraiba?
Since the PNAD Continua series began in 2012, quarterly unemployment in Paraiba peaked at 13.9% in January to March 2020; its lowest rate was 5.4% in April to June 2026.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the labour force participation rate in Paraiba?
In April to June 2026, 54.5% of people aged 14 and over in Paraiba were in the labour force (working or looking for work), 8th lowest of 27 (Brazil 62.1%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow many people are employed in Paraiba?
About 1,731,000 people in Paraiba were employed in April to June 2026 and 99,000 were unemployed; 51.6% of the population aged 14 and over had a job (8th lowest of 27).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow many workers in Paraiba are informal?
45.8% of employed people in Paraiba worked informally in April to June 2026 (about 793,000 people), against 37.4% nationally; 8th highest of 27. A year earlier the rate was 50.4%.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Paraiba?
Employed people in Paraiba usually earned an average of R$2,644 a month from their main job in April to June 2026 (Brazil R$3,621); 7th lowest of 27. Adjusted for inflation that is up 11.6% on a year earlier and up 13.1% on April to June 2019.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the average household income in Paraiba?
Average household income per person in Paraiba was R$1,542 a month in 2025, against R$2,264 for Brazil; 9th lowest of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow big is the gap between rich and poor in Paraiba?
In 2025 the richest 10% of people in Paraiba had an average household income of R$6,322 per person a month and the poorest 10% R$208, a ratio of 30.4 to 1 (10th widest gap of 27).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Paraiba?
The Gini index of household income per person in Paraiba was 0.507 in 2025 (Brazil 0.511), 9th most unequal of 27; in 2019 it was 0.563.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the average income in Paraiba?
Average household income per person in Paraiba was R$1,377 a month in 2024 and the median was R$864; the average is 9th 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 Paraiba?
In 2024 prices, average household income per person in Paraiba rose from R$1,181 a month in 2019 to R$1,377 in 2024, 3.1% a year (Brazil: 2.2% a year); for the poorest 40% it grew 9.6% a year.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyMore figures
- White residents of Paraiba had an average household income of R$1,756 per person a month in 2024, against R$1,179 for Black and mixed-race (preto or pardo) residents. Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy
How Paraiba compares with other states
GDP at current prices, 2023 (2023)
Paraiba ranks 19 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | GDP at current prices, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Amazonas | R$161.8 billion |
| 17 | Maranhao | R$149.2 billion |
| 18 | Rio Grande do Norte | R$101.7 billion |
| 19 | Paraiba | R$97.0 billion |
| 20 | Alagoas | R$89.7 billion |
| 21 | Piaui | R$80.9 billion |
| 22 | Rondonia | R$76.5 billion |
GDP per person, 2023 (2023 GDP / 2022 census population) (2023)
Paraiba ranks 26 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)
Paraiba ranks 18 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Sergipe | 3.1% |
| 16 | Piaui | 3.1% |
| 17 | Ceara | 3.0% |
| 18 | Paraiba | 3.0% |
| 19 | Amapa | 2.9% |
| 20 | Pernambuco | 2.4% |
| 21 | Bahia | 2.3% |
Real GDP growth, 2010-2023 (cumulative) (2010-2023)
Paraiba ranks 9 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2010-2023 (cumulative) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Piaui | 36.7% |
| 7 | Maranhao | 34.3% |
| 8 | Amazonas | 27.5% |
| 9 | Paraiba | 26.9% |
| 10 | Goias | 26.8% |
| 11 | Santa Catarina | 26.2% |
| 12 | Alagoas | 24.7% |
Agriculture and livestock share of gross value added, 2023 (2023)
Paraiba ranks 22 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Agriculture and livestock share of gross value added, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Pernambuco | 5.7% |
| 20 | Amazonas | 5.4% |
| 21 | Espirito Santo | 5.4% |
| 22 | Paraiba | 4.8% |
| 23 | Rio Grande do Norte | 4.2% |
| 24 | Sao Paulo | 2.4% |
| 25 | Amapa | 1.2% |
Unemployment rate, Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Paraiba ranks 16 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Maranhao | 6.0% |
| 14 | Rio Grande do Norte | 5.6% |
| 15 | Sao Paulo | 5.4% |
| 16 | Paraiba | 5.4% |
| 17 | Roraima | 5.0% |
| 18 | Rio Grande do Sul | 4.2% |
| 19 | Tocantins | 4.1% |
Labour force participation rate (age 14+), Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Paraiba ranks 20 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Labour force participation rate (age 14+), Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Para | 59.4% |
| 18 | Bahia | 59.1% |
| 19 | Sergipe | 56.8% |
| 20 | Paraiba | 54.5% |
| 21 | Acre | 54.4% |
| 22 | Piaui | 52.9% |
| 23 | Maranhao | 52.3% |
Informality rate of employed people, Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Paraiba ranks 8 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Informality rate of employed people, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Piaui | 49.5% |
| 6 | Ceara | 48.7% |
| 7 | Sergipe | 47.3% |
| 8 | Paraiba | 45.8% |
| 9 | Pernambuco | 45.4% |
| 10 | Amapa | 44.5% |
| 11 | Acre | 43.7% |
Average usual monthly earnings, main job, Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Paraiba ranks 21 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average usual monthly earnings, main job, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Rio Grande do Norte | R$2,737 |
| 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 |
Average monthly household income per person, 2025 (2025)
Paraiba ranks 19 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average monthly household income per person, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Sergipe | R$1,688 |
| 17 | Amapa | R$1,675 |
| 18 | Pernambuco | R$1,568 |
| 19 | Paraiba | R$1,542 |
| 20 | Piaui | R$1,534 |
| 21 | Bahia | R$1,452 |
| 22 | Amazonas | R$1,450 |
Gini index of household income per person, 2025 (2025)
Paraiba ranks 9 of 27, highest first. Gini index: 0 means everyone has the same income, 1 means one person has all of it.
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income per person, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Alagoas | 0.512 |
| 7 | Acre | 0.509 |
| 8 | Piaui | 0.508 |
| 9 | Paraiba | 0.507 |
| 10 | Ceara | 0.506 |
| 11 | Roraima | 0.506 |
| 12 | Amapa | 0.496 |
Average monthly household income per person (R$) (2024)
Paraiba ranks 19 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average monthly household income per person (R$) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Amapa | R$1,530 |
| 17 | Sergipe | R$1,426 |
| 18 | Pernambuco | R$1,407 |
| 19 | Paraiba | R$1,377 |
| 20 | Piaui | R$1,351 |
| 21 | Bahia | R$1,329 |
| 22 | Para | R$1,322 |
More on Paraiba: 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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