Poverty and living standards in Tocantins, Brazil: official figures
23.9% of people in Tocantins lived on household income below the World Bank poverty line of US$6.85 a day (PPP 2017) in 2024, about 372,000 people; 13th lowest of the 26 states and the Federal District (Brazil: 23.1%).
Is poverty falling in Tocantins?
The poverty rate in Tocantins was 43.8% in 2019 and 48.3% in 2012, so the 2024 figure of 23.9% is down 19.9 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 Tocantins?
3.8% of people in Tocantins were in extreme poverty in 2024, living on less than US$2.15 a day (PPP 2017), about R$218 a month per person; 13th lowest of the 26 states and the Federal District (Brazil: 3.5%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow many people in Tocantins live on less than a quarter of the minimum wage?
8.6% of people in Tocantins 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 18.0% on between a quarter and half (R$704); the first share is 13th lowest 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 Tocantins?
The Gini index of household income per person in Tocantins was 0.477 in 2024 (0 means everyone has the same income, 1 that one person has all of it), 10th least unequal of the 26 states and the Federal District; Brazil's was 0.504. In 2019 Tocantins' index was 0.531.
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copyHow much income do the richest 10% get in Tocantins?
The richest 10% of people in Tocantins received 36.9% of all household income in 2024 and the poorest 40% received 13.0%, a Palma ratio of 2.85 (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 Tocantins would have been 0.523 in 2024 instead of 0.477 (Brazil: 0.542 instead of 0.504). Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) · saved copy
How Tocantins compares with other states
People below the US$6.85 a day poverty line (%) (2024)
Tocantins ranks 15 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 18 | Rio de Janeiro | 17.9% |
People in extreme poverty, below US$2.15 a day (%) (2024)
Tocantins ranks 15 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in extreme poverty, below US$2.15 a day (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Sergipe | 4.5% |
| 13 | Piaui | 4.0% |
| 14 | Amapa | 3.9% |
| 15 | Tocantins | 3.8% |
| 16 | Rio de Janeiro | 3.1% |
| 17 | Sao Paulo | 2.2% |
| 18 | Minas Gerais | 2.2% |
Poverty rate without government social benefits (%) (2024)
Tocantins ranks 15 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 18 | Mato Grosso do Sul | 23.2% |
Gini index of household income per person (2024)
Tocantins ranks 18 of 27, highest first. 0 = complete equality, 1 = complete inequality.
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income per person |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Ceara | 0.487 |
| 16 | Espirito Santo | 0.480 |
| 17 | Bahia | 0.477 |
| 18 | Tocantins | 0.477 |
| 19 | Amazonas | 0.474 |
| 20 | Parana | 0.473 |
| 21 | Goias | 0.462 |
People living on up to 1/4 minimum wage per person (%) (2024)
Tocantins ranks 15 of 27, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People living on up to 1/4 minimum wage per person (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 17 | Espirito Santo | 5.2% |
| 18 | Minas Gerais | 4.9% |
More on Tocantins: 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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