Migration in João Pessoa/PB (2017–2022)

João Pessoa/PB had a reference population (aged 5 or over in 2022) of 781,720 people. In the 2017–2022 five-year period, the municipality received 58,005 in-migrants and lost 43,760 out-migrants to other municipalities in Brazil, resulting in a net migration of +14,245 people (18.22 per 1,000 population) and a migration effectiveness index (IEM) of 0.140. This classifies the municipality, for the period, as one of migratory attraction. In addition, 470 arrived with an unreported origin and 1,780 came from abroad.

Indicators

Migration indicators for João Pessoa/PB, 2017–2022
Indicator	Estimate	95% CI	Precision
In-migrants	58,005	54,690 to 61,320	good
Out-migrants	43,760	41,685 to 45,835	good
Net migration	+14,245	10,334 to 18,156	not classified
Net migration rate, TLM (per 1,000 pop.)	18.22	-	-
Migration effectiveness index (IEM)	0.140	-	-

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 João Pessoa/PB
Origin	People	Precision
Recife/PE · view pair in the atlas	3,360	good
Rio de Janeiro/RJ · view pair in the atlas	3,245	good
Campina Grande/PB · view pair in the atlas	3,130	good
São Paulo/SP · view pair in the atlas	2,405	good
Brasília/DF · view pair in the atlas	1,880	use with caution
Santa Rita/PB · view pair in the atlas	1,815	use with caution
Natal/RN · view pair in the atlas	1,640	use with caution
Rio Branco/AC · view pair in the atlas	1,425	use with caution
Cabedelo/PB · view pair in the atlas	1,305	use with caution
Bayeux/PB · view pair in the atlas	1,185	use with caution

Top 10 destinations of out-migrants from João Pessoa/PB
Destination	People	Precision
Cabedelo/PB · view pair in the atlas	3,030	good
Santa Rita/PB · view pair in the atlas	2,425	good
Campina Grande/PB · view pair in the atlas	1,760	good
Bayeux/PB · view pair in the atlas	1,470	good
Rio de Janeiro/RJ · view pair in the atlas	1,440	use with caution
São Paulo/SP · view pair in the atlas	1,285	use with caution
Recife/PE · view pair in the atlas	1,265	use with caution
Conde/PB · view pair in the atlas	1,080	use with caution
Brasília/DF · view pair in the atlas	865	use with caution
Patos/PB · view pair in the atlas	730	use with caution

Profile of migrants and residents

In-migrants (arrivals)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	27,435	47.3%	>=500
Multi-step migration	22,535	38.9%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	7,910	13.6%	100-499
Born abroad, internal migrant	125	0.2%	5-19

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed higher education	15,205	40.0%	>=500
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	12,940	34.0%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	6,390	16.8%	100-499
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	3,475	9.1%	100-499

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
More than 2 minimum wages	17,230	29.7%	>=500
½ to 1 minimum wage	13,125	22.6%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	11,980	20.7%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	8,840	15.2%	100-499
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	6,240	10.8%	100-499
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	590	1.0%	20-49

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	10,295	17.8%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	10,100	17.4%	100-499
Ages 40–59, female	6,835	11.8%	100-499
Ages 15–24, female	6,570	11.3%	100-499
Ages 40–59, male	5,665	9.8%	100-499
Ages 15–24, male	5,460	9.4%	100-499
Ages 5–14, male	4,070	7.0%	100-499
Ages 5–14, female	3,850	6.6%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, female	2,720	4.7%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, male	2,285	3.9%	100-499
Other / suppressed	150	0.3%	5-19

Out-migrants (departures)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	19,455	44.5%	>=500
Multi-step migration	15,085	34.5%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	9,090	20.8%	>=500
Born abroad, internal migrant	130	0.3%	5-19

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed higher education	11,290	37.1%	>=500
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	9,055	29.8%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	6,905	22.7%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	3,180	10.5%	100-499

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
More than 2 minimum wages	11,315	25.9%	>=500
½ to 1 minimum wage	10,135	23.2%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	9,240	21.1%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	7,840	17.9%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	4,900	11.2%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	325	0.7%	20-49

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	8,670	19.8%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	7,655	17.5%	>=500
Ages 40–59, female	5,010	11.4%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	4,930	11.3%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	3,935	9.0%	100-499
Ages 5–14, male	3,200	7.3%	100-499
Ages 5–14, female	3,150	7.2%	100-499
Ages 15–24, male	2,985	6.8%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, female	2,440	5.6%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, male	1,690	3.9%	100-499
Other / suppressed	95	0.2%	5-19

Non-migrant residents

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	172,255	33.6%	>=500
Completed higher education	145,730	28.4%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	132,725	25.9%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	61,645	12.0%	>=500

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	217,100	28.1%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	152,615	19.7%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	152,440	19.7%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	151,855	19.6%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	96,425	12.5%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	3,240	0.4%	100-499

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 40–59, female	116,085	16.1%	>=500
Ages 25–39, female	95,880	13.3%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	94,900	13.2%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	85,535	11.9%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, female	72,565	10.1%	>=500
Ages 15–24, male	53,885	7.5%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	53,450	7.4%	>=500
Ages 5–14, male	51,910	7.2%	>=500
Ages 5–14, female	49,290	6.8%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, male	46,900	6.5%	>=500
Ages 15–24, sex undetermined	360	0.0%	5-19
Ages 40–59, sex undetermined	230	0.0%	5-19
Ages 5–14, sex undetermined	225	0.0%	5-19
Ages 60 and over, sex undetermined	135	0.0%	5-19
Ages 25–39, sex undetermined	120	0.0%	5-19

Commuting (work and study)

Commuting indicators for João Pessoa/PB
Employed persons (aged 10 and over)	366,505
Commute out to work in another municipality	18,365
Commute in from another municipality to work here	49,445
Net commuting	+31,080
Out-commuting rate (%)	5.01
Commuting attraction index	1.063
Median commuting time	50 min

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

Open João Pessoa/PB 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]: João Pessoa/PB. Data from the 2022 Demographic Census (IBGE). Data version: 2026-10-01. Available at: https://atlas-da-migracao.github.io/en/municipio/joao-pessoa-pb-2507507/. Dataset DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22469791.