How much do social benefits reduce poverty in Rio Grande do Norte?

Without government social benefits such as Bolsa Familia and the BPC, 40.4% of people in Rio Grande do Norte would have been below the US$6.85 poverty line in 2024 and 16.2% below the US$2.15 extreme poverty line, against 33.5% and 5.2% with them (IBGE simulation removing benefit income).

Poverty and living standards in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil: official figures

33.5% of people in Rio Grande do Norte lived on household income below the World Bank poverty line of US$6.85 a day (PPP 2017) in 2024, about 1.15 million people; 14th highest of the 26 states and the Federal District (Brazil: 23.1%).

People below the poverty line (US$6.85 PPP a day)

33.5%

2024

People in extreme poverty (US$2.15 PPP a day)

5.2%

2024

Gini index of household income per person

0.522

2024

Is poverty falling in Rio Grande do Norte?

The poverty rate in Rio Grande do Norte was 47.3% in 2019 and 51.7% in 2012, so the 2024 figure of 33.5% is down 13.8 percentage points on 2019 (Brazil: 32.6% in 2019, 23.1% in 2024).

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

How many people live in extreme poverty in Rio Grande do Norte?

5.2% of people in Rio Grande do Norte were in extreme poverty in 2024, living on less than US$2.15 a day (PPP 2017), about R$218 a month per person; 8th highest of the 26 states and the Federal District (Brazil: 3.5%).

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

How many people in Rio Grande do Norte live on less than a quarter of the minimum wage?

12.5% of people in Rio Grande do Norte 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 23.1% on between a quarter and half (R$704); the first share is 13th highest of the 26 states and the Federal District (Brazil: 7.9%).

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

How unequal is income in Rio Grande do Norte?

The Gini index of household income per person in Rio Grande do Norte was 0.522 in 2024 (0 means everyone has the same income, 1 that one person has all of it), 5th most unequal of the 26 states and the Federal District; Brazil's was 0.504. In 2019 Rio Grande do Norte's index was 0.555.

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

How much income do the richest 10% get in Rio Grande do Norte?

The richest 10% of people in Rio Grande do Norte received 42.8% of all household income in 2024 and the poorest 40% received 11.8%, a Palma ratio of 3.61 (Brazil: 3.31).

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

More figures

Counting only income from work, pensions and other non-benefit sources, the Gini index in Rio Grande do Norte would have been 0.587 in 2024 instead of 0.522 (Brazil: 0.542 instead of 0.504). Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

How Rio Grande do Norte compares with other states

People below the US$6.85 a day poverty line (%) (2024)

Rio Grande do Norte ranks 14 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 (%)
11	Sergipe	36.4%
12	Amapa	35.8%
13	Bahia	35.7%
14	Rio Grande do Norte	33.5%
15	Tocantins	23.9%
16	Rondonia	20.5%
17	Espirito Santo	18.6%

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

People in extreme poverty, below US$2.15 a day (%) (2024)

Rio Grande do Norte ranks 8 of 27, highest first.

Rank	Region	People in extreme poverty, below US$2.15 a day (%)
5	Roraima	6.5%
6	Pernambuco	6.2%
7	Bahia	5.7%
8	Rio Grande do Norte	5.2%
9	Amazonas	5.1%
10	Paraiba	4.7%
11	Para	4.6%

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

Poverty rate without government social benefits (%) (2024)

Rio Grande do Norte ranks 14 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 (%)
11	Amapa	44.8%
12	Bahia	44.5%
13	Sergipe	44.5%
14	Rio Grande do Norte	40.4%
15	Tocantins	31.6%
16	Rondonia	26.4%
17	Espirito Santo	23.5%

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

Gini index of household income per person (2024)

Rio Grande do Norte ranks 5 of 27, highest first. 0 = complete equality, 1 = complete inequality.

Rank	Region	Gini index of household income per person
2	Pernambuco	0.530
3	Roraima	0.530
4	Rio de Janeiro	0.522
5	Rio Grande do Norte	0.522
6	Alagoas	0.516
7	Amapa	0.509
8	Acre	0.502

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

People living on up to 1/4 minimum wage per person (%) (2024)

Rio Grande do Norte ranks 13 of 27, highest first.

Rank	Region	People living on up to 1/4 minimum wage per person (%)
10	Roraima	12.9%
11	Sergipe	12.6%
12	Piaui	12.6%
13	Rio Grande do Norte	12.5%
14	Amapa	10.2%
15	Tocantins	8.6%
16	Rio de Janeiro	6.3%

Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy

More on Rio Grande do Norte: 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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