Migration in Fortaleza/CE (2017–2022)

Fortaleza/CE had a reference population (aged 5 or over in 2022) of 2,289,355 people. In the 2017–2022 five-year period, the municipality received 72,715 in-migrants and lost 153,890 out-migrants to other municipalities in Brazil, resulting in a net migration of −81,175 people (−35.46 per 1,000 population) and a migration effectiveness index (IEM) of −0.358. This classifies the municipality, for the period, as one of migratory depletion. In addition, 765 arrived with an unreported origin and 2,170 came from abroad.

Indicators

Migration indicators for Fortaleza/CE, 2017–2022
Indicator	Estimate	95% CI	Precision
In-migrants	72,715	68,893 to 76,537	good
Out-migrants	153,890	149,898 to 157,882	good
Net migration	−81,175	−86,702 to −75,648	not classified
Net migration rate, TLM (per 1,000 pop.)	−35.46	-	-
Migration effectiveness index (IEM)	−0.358	-	-

Sample of in-migrants: >=500 observations. Sample of out-migrants: >=500 observations. 95% confidence interval computed as estimate ± 1.96 × standard error.

Top origins and destinations

Top 10 origins of in-migrants to Fortaleza/CE
Origin	People	Precision
Caucaia/CE · view pair in the atlas	3,045	good
São Paulo/SP · view pair in the atlas	2,575	good
Maracanaú/CE · view pair in the atlas	2,305	good
Sobral/CE · view pair in the atlas	1,525	use with caution
Aquiraz/CE · view pair in the atlas	1,485	use with caution
Belém/PA · view pair in the atlas	1,365	use with caution
Rio de Janeiro/RJ · view pair in the atlas	1,335	use with caution
Brasília/DF · view pair in the atlas	1,315	use with caution
Itapipoca/CE · view pair in the atlas	1,285	use with caution
Quixadá/CE · view pair in the atlas	1,285	use with caution

Top 10 destinations of out-migrants from Fortaleza/CE
Destination	People	Precision
Caucaia/CE · view pair in the atlas	17,635	good
Maracanaú/CE · view pair in the atlas	7,660	good
Eusébio/CE · view pair in the atlas	7,580	good
Itaitinga/CE · view pair in the atlas	6,450	good
Pacatuba/CE · view pair in the atlas	4,310	good
São Paulo/SP · view pair in the atlas	3,715	good
Aquiraz/CE · view pair in the atlas	2,915	good
Horizonte/CE · view pair in the atlas	2,310	good
Itapipoca/CE · view pair in the atlas	2,125	good
Rio de Janeiro/RJ · view pair in the atlas	1,930	use with caution

Profile of migrants and residents

In-migrants (arrivals)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	37,385	51.4%	>=500
Multi-step migration	19,170	26.4%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	15,915	21.9%	>=500
Born abroad, internal migrant	245	0.3%	5-19

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed higher education	15,330	34.4%	>=500
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	14,650	32.9%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	8,995	20.2%	100-499
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	5,585	12.5%	100-499

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	19,340	26.6%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	18,125	24.9%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	14,660	20.2%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	12,095	16.6%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	8,290	11.4%	100-499
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	200	0.3%	5-19

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	13,250	18.2%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	11,315	15.6%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	10,190	14.0%	100-499
Ages 15–24, male	8,760	12.0%	100-499
Ages 40–59, female	7,420	10.2%	100-499
Ages 40–59, male	6,285	8.6%	100-499
Ages 5–14, male	4,755	6.5%	100-499
Ages 5–14, female	4,440	6.1%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, female	4,030	5.5%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, male	2,265	3.1%	100-499

Out-migrants (departures)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	83,485	54.2%	>=500
Multi-step migration	42,690	27.7%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	27,210	17.7%	>=500
Born abroad, internal migrant	505	0.3%	20-49

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	39,915	37.8%	>=500
Completed higher education	27,580	26.1%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	22,560	21.4%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	15,505	14.7%	>=500

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	40,415	26.3%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	30,740	20.0%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	29,830	19.4%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	28,510	18.5%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	22,440	14.6%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	1,950	1.3%	100-499

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	29,920	19.4%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	26,685	17.3%	>=500
Ages 40–59, female	19,330	12.6%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	17,390	11.3%	>=500
Ages 5–14, male	13,045	8.5%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	12,280	8.0%	>=500
Ages 5–14, female	12,050	7.8%	>=500
Ages 15–24, male	10,960	7.1%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, female	6,785	4.4%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, male	5,445	3.5%	>=500
Other / suppressed	0	0.0%	<5

Non-migrant residents

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	573,770	36.3%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	438,380	27.7%	>=500
Completed higher education	329,785	20.9%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	237,945	15.1%	>=500

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	714,490	30.4%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	500,225	21.3%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	434,235	18.5%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	377,815	16.1%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	324,605	13.8%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	1,690	0.1%	50-99

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 40–59, female	355,420	16.1%	>=500
Ages 25–39, female	304,900	13.8%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	287,440	13.0%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	271,655	12.3%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, female	218,205	9.9%	>=500
Ages 15–24, male	166,590	7.5%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	166,580	7.5%	>=500
Ages 5–14, male	153,270	6.9%	>=500
Ages 5–14, female	147,350	6.7%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, male	142,065	6.4%	>=500
Other / suppressed	230	0.0%	20-49

Commuting (work and study)

Commuting indicators for Fortaleza/CE
Employed persons (aged 10 and over)	1,104,255
Commute out to work in another municipality	33,490
Commute in from another municipality to work here	108,885
Net commuting	+75,395
Out-commuting rate (%)	3.03
Commuting attraction index	1.032
Median commuting time	45 min

This municipality is part of Região Metropolitana de Fortaleza → see the metropolitan region page

Open Fortaleza/CE in the interactive atlas →

Methodological note

Estimates from the sample microdata of the 2022 Demographic Census (IBGE, controlled access), fixed-date migration question (residence on July 31, 2017 compared with residence on July 31, 2022). Every estimate is rounded to multiples of 5 and has passed statistical disclosure control (no cell with fewer than 5 people or 3 sampled households). See the full methodology and the glossary.

How to cite this page

Daniel Pessini Sobreira. Atlas da migração interna no Brasil [Atlas of internal migration in Brazil]: Fortaleza/CE. Data from the 2022 Demographic Census (IBGE). Data version: 2026-10-01. Available at: https://atlas-da-migracao.github.io/en/municipio/fortaleza-ce-2304400/. Dataset DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22469791.