Economy, jobs and prices in Pernambuco, Brazil: official figures
The gross domestic product of Pernambuco was R$270.5 billion in 2023 at current prices, 2.5% of Brazil's R$10.94 trillion and 11th largest of 27. In current reais it was up 10.0% on 2022.
How fast is the economy of Pernambuco growing?
After removing price changes, the economy of Pernambuco grew 2.4% in 2023, against 3.2% for Brazil; 8th slowest growth of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHas the economy of Pernambuco grown since 2010?
In real terms, GDP in Pernambuco was 14.9% higher in 2023 than in 2010 (Brazil: 15.1% higher), 9th smallest growth of 27 over the period. Its share of national GDP moved from 2.50% in 2010 to 2.47% in 2023.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Pernambuco?
Dividing 2023 GDP by the 2022 census population (IBGE used the census count for 2023 because no 2023 estimate was made) gives R$29,857 per person, 0.55 times the Brazilian figure of R$53,887; 7th lowest of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat are the main industries in Pernambuco?
In 2023 services made up 71.8% of gross value added in Pernambuco, industry 22.5% and agriculture and livestock 5.7% (9th 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 Pernambuco?
The largest activities in the economy of Pernambuco in 2023 were public administration, defence, public education and health, and social security (23.4% of gross value added), other services (16.4%) and manufacturing (15.9%). The public sector (administration, public education and health, social security) accounted for 23.4%, 13th lowest of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Pernambuco?
The unemployment rate in Pernambuco was 8.3% in April to June 2026, according to IBGE's PNAD Continua survey, against 5.4% for Brazil; tied for 3rd highest of 27. A year earlier (April to June 2025) it was 10.4%.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat was the highest unemployment rate in Pernambuco?
Since the PNAD Continua series began in 2012, quarterly unemployment in Pernambuco peaked at 19.0% in April to June 2017; its lowest rate was 7.4% in October to December 2013.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the labour force participation rate in Pernambuco?
In April to June 2026, 51.8% of people aged 14 and over in Pernambuco 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 Pernambuco?
About 3,675,000 people in Pernambuco were employed in April to June 2026 and 334,000 were unemployed; 47.5% of the population aged 14 and over had a job (tied for the lowest of 27).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow many workers in Pernambuco are informal?
45.4% of employed people in Pernambuco worked informally in April to June 2026 (about 1,667,000 people), against 37.4% nationally; 9th highest of 27. A year earlier the rate was 47.5%.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Pernambuco?
Employed people in Pernambuco usually earned an average of R$2,645 a month from their main job in April to June 2026 (Brazil R$3,621); 8th lowest of 27. Adjusted for inflation that is down 4.0% on a year earlier and up 8.6% on April to June 2019.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the average household income in Pernambuco?
Average household income per person in Pernambuco was R$1,568 a month in 2025, against R$2,264 for Brazil; 10th lowest of 27.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow big is the gap between rich and poor in Pernambuco?
In 2025 the richest 10% of people in Pernambuco had an average household income of R$6,372 per person a month and the poorest 10% R$180, a ratio of 35.4 to 1 (5th widest gap of 27).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Pernambuco?
The Gini index of household income per person in Pernambuco was 0.520 in 2025 (Brazil 0.511), 5th most unequal of 27; in 2019 it was 0.573.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the average income in Pernambuco?
Average household income per person in Pernambuco was R$1,407 a month in 2024 and the median was R$829; the average is 10th 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 Pernambuco?
In 2024 prices, average household income per person in Pernambuco rose from R$1,213 a month in 2019 to R$1,407 in 2024, 3.0% a year (Brazil: 2.2% a year); for the poorest 40% it grew 7.5% a year.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyMore figures
- White residents of Pernambuco had an average household income of R$1,872 per person a month in 2024, against R$1,174 for Black and mixed-race (preto or pardo) residents. Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy
How Pernambuco compares with other states
GDP at current prices, 2023 (2023)
Pernambuco ranks 11 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | GDP at current prices, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Distrito Federal | R$365.7 billion |
| 9 | Goias | R$336.7 billion |
| 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 |
GDP per person, 2023 (2023 GDP / 2022 census population) (2023)
Pernambuco ranks 21 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | GDP per person, 2023 (2023 GDP / 2022 census population) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Para | R$31,348 |
| 19 | Rio Grande do Norte | R$30,805 |
| 20 | Bahia | R$30,477 |
| 21 | Pernambuco | R$29,857 |
| 22 | Alagoas | R$28,676 |
| 23 | Sergipe | R$27,519 |
| 24 | Ceara | R$26,406 |
Real GDP growth, 2023 (2023)
Pernambuco ranks 20 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Ceara | 3.0% |
| 18 | Paraiba | 3.0% |
| 19 | Amapa | 2.9% |
| 20 | Pernambuco | 2.4% |
| 21 | Bahia | 2.3% |
| 22 | Amazonas | 2.1% |
| 23 | Santa Catarina | 1.9% |
Real GDP growth, 2010-2023 (cumulative) (2010-2023)
Pernambuco ranks 19 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2010-2023 (cumulative) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 22 | Minas Gerais | 11.5% |
Agriculture and livestock share of gross value added, 2023 (2023)
Pernambuco ranks 19 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Agriculture and livestock share of gross value added, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 22 | Paraiba | 4.8% |
Unemployment rate, Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Pernambuco ranks 3 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amapa | 9.8% |
| 2 | Bahia | 9.1% |
| 3 | Pernambuco | 8.3% |
| 4 | Piaui | 8.3% |
| 5 | Alagoas | 7.9% |
| 6 | Sergipe | 7.9% |
| 7 | Amazonas | 7.5% |
Labour force participation rate (age 14+), Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Pernambuco ranks 24 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)
Pernambuco ranks 9 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Informality rate of employed people, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Ceara | 48.7% |
| 7 | Sergipe | 47.3% |
| 8 | Paraiba | 45.8% |
| 9 | Pernambuco | 45.4% |
| 10 | Amapa | 44.5% |
| 11 | Acre | 43.7% |
| 12 | Alagoas | 43.4% |
Average usual monthly earnings, main job, Q2 2026 (Q2 2026)
Pernambuco ranks 20 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average usual monthly earnings, main job, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Sergipe | R$2,865 |
| 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 |
Average monthly household income per person, 2025 (2025)
Pernambuco ranks 18 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average monthly household income per person, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Rio Grande do Norte | R$1,779 |
| 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$1,452 |
Gini index of household income per person, 2025 (2025)
Pernambuco ranks 5 of 27, highest first. Gini index: 0 means everyone has the same income, 1 means one person has all of it.
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income per person, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Rio de Janeiro | 0.543 |
| 3 | Rio Grande do Norte | 0.540 |
| 4 | Sergipe | 0.532 |
| 5 | Pernambuco | 0.520 |
| 6 | Alagoas | 0.512 |
| 7 | Acre | 0.509 |
| 8 | Piaui | 0.508 |
Average monthly household income per person (R$) (2024)
Pernambuco ranks 18 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average monthly household income per person (R$) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Roraima | R$1,531 |
| 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 |
More on Pernambuco: 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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