What share of people in Alta Verapaz are in formal employment?

That is 3.0 IGSS contributors for every 100 residents of Alta Verapaz, against 9.3 nationally, 4th lowest of 22 (IGSS 2024; INE population projection for mid-2024).

Economy, jobs and prices in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala: official figures

50.8% of households in Alta Verapaz had an improved source of drinking water in 2023, the lowest of 22 departments.

GDP per capita 2024

Q22,666

2024

Workers contributing to IGSS

42,987

2024

Average IGSS contribution salary

Q5,236

2024

How many households in Alta Verapaz have improved sanitation?

22.0% of households in Alta Verapaz had improved sanitation in 2023, the lowest of 22.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How many households in Alta Verapaz have electricity?

50.7% of households in Alta Verapaz were connected to the electricity grid in 2023, the lowest of 22.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

What is the GDP of Alta Verapaz?

Banguat puts the GDP of Alta Verapaz at Q32,467 million in 2024 at current prices, 3.7% of the national Q878,387 million, 4th highest of 22 departments (preliminary).

Source: Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) · saved copy

What is the GDP per capita in Alta Verapaz?

GDP per person in Alta Verapaz was Q22,666 in 2024 against Q49,228 nationally, 4th lowest of 22 departments (Banguat, preliminary).

Source: Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) · saved copy

How fast is income per person growing in Alta Verapaz?

GDP per person in Alta Verapaz rose 25.7% between 2019 and 2024 at current prices, from Q18,038 to Q22,666 (national: 37.6%).

Source: Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) · saved copy

How fast is the economy of Alta Verapaz growing?

After adjusting for prices, GDP in Alta Verapaz grew 1.6% in 2024 (national: 3.7%), 4th slowest of 22.

Source: Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) · saved copy

Has the economy of Alta Verapaz grown since 2013?

Real GDP in Alta Verapaz was 40.1% higher in 2024 than in 2013 (national: 46.9%); its share of national GDP moved from 3.9% in 2013 to 3.7% in 2024.

Source: Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) · saved copy

How many people in Alta Verapaz have formal jobs?

42,987 workers in Alta Verapaz contributed to the IGSS social security institute in 2024, 2.6% of the 1,659,137 nationally, 6th highest of 22 departments.

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

Is formal employment growing in Alta Verapaz?

The number of IGSS contributors in Alta Verapaz rose 39.5% between 2019 and 2024, from 30,824 to 42,987 (national: 22.8%), 4th fastest of 22.

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

How has the number of formal workers in Alta Verapaz changed since 2012?

Since 2012 the number of IGSS contributors in Alta Verapaz has gone from 20,359 to 42,987, a change of 111% (national: 40%).

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

How many registered employers are there in Alta Verapaz?

614 employers in Alta Verapaz were registered as IGSS contributors in 2024, an average of 70 contributing workers per employer (national: 45).

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

What is the average salary in Alta Verapaz?

The average contribution salary of IGSS workers in Alta Verapaz was Q5,236 in 2024 (national: Q5,681), 11th highest of 22 departments.

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

How much do formal workers in Alta Verapaz earn in total?

Salaries declared to IGSS for Alta Verapaz totalled Q2,701 million in 2024, 2.4% of the national total, 4th highest of 22.

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

Are wages in Alta Verapaz higher than the national average?

IGSS contributors in Alta Verapaz had an average salary below the national average by Q445 in 2024, while GDP per person was 46% of the national level.

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

How Alta Verapaz compares with other departments

GDP (million quetzales, current prices) (2024)

Alta Verapaz ranks 4 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	GDP (million quetzales, current prices)
1	Guatemala	Q382,594m
2	Escuintla	Q77,779m
3	Quetzaltenango	Q38,202m
4	Alta Verapaz	Q32,467m
5	Huehuetenango	Q32,074m
6	San Marcos	Q29,130m
7	Chimaltenango	Q26,899m

Source: Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) · saved copy

GDP per capita (quetzales) (2024)

Alta Verapaz ranks 19 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	GDP per capita (quetzales)
16	Baja Verapaz	Q26,259
17	Solola	Q25,758
18	San Marcos	Q23,501
19	Alta Verapaz	Q22,666
20	Quiche	Q22,575
21	Huehuetenango	Q21,659
22	Totonicapan	Q21,474

Source: Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) · saved copy

Real GDP growth 2024 (2024)

Alta Verapaz ranks 19 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Real GDP growth 2024
16	San Marcos	2.5%
17	Zacapa	2.3%
18	Escuintla	1.8%
19	Alta Verapaz	1.6%
20	Izabal	1.4%
21	El Progreso	1.2%
22	Peten	0.9%

Source: Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) · saved copy

Workers contributing to IGSS social security (2024)

Alta Verapaz ranks 6 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Workers contributing to IGSS social security
3	Quetzaltenango	70,618
4	Izabal	44,297
5	Sacatepequez	43,926
6	Alta Verapaz	42,987
7	San Marcos	40,747
8	Peten	38,081
9	Suchitepequez	37,783

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

IGSS contributors per 100 residents (2024)

Alta Verapaz ranks 19 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	IGSS contributors per 100 residents
16	Baja Verapaz	3.3
17	Jalapa	3.2
18	Solola	3.1
19	Alta Verapaz	3.0
20	Huehuetenango	2.3
21	Quiche	2.3
22	Totonicapan	2.1

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

Growth in IGSS contributors 2019-2024 (2019-24)

Alta Verapaz ranks 4 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Growth in IGSS contributors 2019-2024
1	Totonicapan	44.7%
2	Huehuetenango	44.1%
3	Baja Verapaz	39.5%
4	Alta Verapaz	39.5%
5	Chiquimula	38.3%
6	Chimaltenango	38.1%
7	Quiche	37.8%

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

Average IGSS contribution salary (quetzales) (2024)

Alta Verapaz ranks 11 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Average IGSS contribution salary (quetzales)
8	Jalapa	Q5,415
9	Chiquimula	Q5,415
10	San Marcos	Q5,245
11	Alta Verapaz	Q5,236
12	Santa Rosa	Q5,190
13	Quetzaltenango	Q5,137
14	Chimaltenango	Q5,070

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

IGSS payroll (million quetzales) (2024)

Alta Verapaz ranks 4 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	IGSS payroll (million quetzales)
1	Guatemala	Q67,726m
2	Escuintla	Q8,213m
3	Quetzaltenango	Q4,354m
4	Alta Verapaz	Q2,701m
5	Izabal	Q2,660m
6	San Marcos	Q2,565m
7	Huehuetenango	Q2,403m

Source: Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS) · saved copy

Households with improved drinking water (ENCOVI) (2023)

Alta Verapaz ranks 22 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Households with improved drinking water (ENCOVI)
16	Peten	69.3%
17	Santa Rosa	67.1%
18	San Marcos	67.0%
19	Suchitepequez	65.5%
20	Escuintla	56.8%
21	Retalhuleu	55.3%
22	Alta Verapaz	50.8%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

Households with improved sanitation (ENCOVI) (2023)

Alta Verapaz ranks 22 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Households with improved sanitation (ENCOVI)
16	Huehuetenango	52.2%
17	Baja Verapaz	50.7%
18	Peten	47.0%
19	San Marcos	46.3%
20	Quiche	38.0%
21	Totonicapan	30.2%
22	Alta Verapaz	22.0%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

Households connected to the electricity grid (ENCOVI) (2023)

Alta Verapaz ranks 22 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Households connected to the electricity grid (ENCOVI)
16	San Marcos	82.8%
17	Huehuetenango	82.8%
18	Quiche	81.3%
19	Baja Verapaz	80.7%
20	Peten	80.5%
21	Izabal	79.8%
22	Alta Verapaz	50.7%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

More on Alta Verapaz: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · Guatemala

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Encuesta Nacional de Condiciones de Vida (ENCOVI) 2023: Poverty and inequality (departmental maps for poverty, extreme poverty, poverty gap and severity, Gini, water, sanitation, electricity), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 df15ab3fe8b7…)
Banco de Guatemala (Banguat): Cuentas regionales y departamentales anuales: Producto Interno Bruto por departamento 2013-2024 (current quetzales and chained volume, reference year 2013; preliminary), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5b2e9ad0dee9…)
Banco de Guatemala (Banguat): Cuentas regionales y departamentales anuales: Producto Interno Bruto per cápita por departamento 2013-2024 (quetzales; preliminary), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 673dd87343cf…)
Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social (IGSS): El IGSS en cifras 2024: contributing affiliates, payroll and average salary by department (B2.1, C5), employers by department (C17.3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d61a33487068…)

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