Migration in Natal/RN (2017–2022)

Natal/RN had a reference population (aged 5 or over in 2022) of 707,890 people. In the 2017–2022 five-year period, the municipality received 35,390 in-migrants and lost 93,260 out-migrants to other municipalities in Brazil, resulting in a net migration of −57,870 people (−81.75 per 1,000 population) and a migration effectiveness index (IEM) of −0.450. This classifies the municipality, for the period, as one of migratory depletion. In addition, 445 arrived with an unreported origin and 1,175 came from abroad.

Indicators

Migration indicators for Natal/RN, 2017–2022
Indicator	Estimate	95% CI	Precision
In-migrants	35,390	32,850 to 37,930	good
Out-migrants	93,260	90,226 to 96,294	good
Net migration	−57,870	−61,827 to −53,913	not classified
Net migration rate, TLM (per 1,000 pop.)	−81.75	-	-
Migration effectiveness index (IEM)	−0.450	-	-

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 Natal/RN
Origin	People	Precision
Parnamirim/RN · view pair in the atlas	2,240	good
São Paulo/SP · view pair in the atlas	1,765	use with caution
Rio de Janeiro/RJ · view pair in the atlas	1,650	use with caution
Recife/PE · view pair in the atlas	1,495	use with caution
São Gonçalo do Amarante/RN · view pair in the atlas	1,165	use with caution
Brasília/DF · view pair in the atlas	1,130	use with caution
Ceará-Mirim/RN · view pair in the atlas	1,010	use with caution
Mossoró/RN · view pair in the atlas	750	use with caution
Fortaleza/CE · view pair in the atlas	745	use with caution
Extremoz/RN · view pair in the atlas	720	use with caution

Top 10 destinations of out-migrants from Natal/RN
Destination	People	Precision
Parnamirim/RN · view pair in the atlas	17,305	good
São Gonçalo do Amarante/RN · view pair in the atlas	11,205	good
Extremoz/RN · view pair in the atlas	10,585	good
Ceará-Mirim/RN · view pair in the atlas	2,815	good
São Paulo/SP · view pair in the atlas	1,970	good
João Pessoa/PB · view pair in the atlas	1,640	use with caution
Macaíba/RN · view pair in the atlas	1,450	good
Nísia Floresta/RN · view pair in the atlas	1,445	good
Mossoró/RN · view pair in the atlas	1,420	good
São José de Mipibu/RN · view pair in the atlas	1,315	good

Profile of migrants and residents

In-migrants (arrivals)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	14,160	40.0%	>=500
Multi-step migration	12,420	35.1%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	8,640	24.4%	100-499
Born abroad, internal migrant	170	0.5%	5-19

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed higher education	8,805	38.6%	100-499
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	7,510	32.9%	100-499
No schooling or incomplete elementary	4,010	17.6%	100-499
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	2,490	10.9%	100-499

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
More than 2 minimum wages	10,045	28.4%	100-499
½ to 1 minimum wage	8,220	23.2%	100-499
1 to 2 minimum wages	7,345	20.8%	100-499
¼ to ½ minimum wage	5,550	15.7%	100-499
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	3,920	11.1%	100-499
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	315	0.9%	5-19

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	6,850	19.4%	100-499
Ages 25–39, male	5,410	15.3%	100-499
Ages 15–24, female	4,230	12.0%	100-499
Ages 15–24, male	3,920	11.1%	100-499
Ages 40–59, female	3,880	11.0%	100-499
Ages 40–59, male	3,415	9.7%	100-499
Ages 5–14, female	2,340	6.6%	100-499
Ages 5–14, male	2,085	5.9%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, female	1,930	5.5%	50-99
Ages 60 and over, male	1,325	3.7%	50-99

Out-migrants (departures)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	51,035	54.7%	>=500
Multi-step migration	30,695	32.9%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	11,240	12.1%	>=500
Born abroad, internal migrant	290	0.3%	20-49

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	24,440	37.4%	>=500
Completed higher education	20,175	30.9%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	13,010	19.9%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	7,710	11.8%	>=500

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	23,195	24.9%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	21,045	22.6%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	21,040	22.6%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	16,425	17.6%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	9,920	10.6%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	1,635	1.8%	100-499

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	18,070	19.4%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	16,890	18.1%	>=500
Ages 40–59, female	11,435	12.3%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	10,780	11.6%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	7,500	8.0%	>=500
Ages 5–14, male	7,225	7.7%	>=500
Ages 15–24, male	6,775	7.3%	>=500
Ages 5–14, female	6,405	6.9%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, female	4,820	5.2%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, male	3,340	3.6%	100-499
Other / suppressed	20	0.0%	<5

Non-migrant residents

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	158,855	32.9%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	139,920	29.0%	>=500
Completed higher education	116,440	24.1%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	67,875	14.1%	>=500

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	190,790	26.7%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	145,540	20.4%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	140,450	19.7%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	133,150	18.6%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	103,480	14.5%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	870	0.1%	20-49

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 40–59, female	108,680	16.2%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	88,250	13.2%	>=500
Ages 25–39, female	84,845	12.6%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	77,250	11.5%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, female	74,145	11.1%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, male	49,820	7.4%	>=500
Ages 15–24, male	49,790	7.4%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	49,630	7.4%	>=500
Ages 5–14, male	44,915	6.7%	>=500
Ages 5–14, female	43,405	6.5%	>=500
Other / suppressed	150	0.0%	5-19

Commuting (work and study)

Commuting indicators for Natal/RN
Employed persons (aged 10 and over)	325,245
Commute out to work in another municipality	16,150
Commute in from another municipality to work here	95,630
Net commuting	+79,480
Out-commuting rate (%)	4.97
Commuting attraction index	1.221
Median commuting time	45 min

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

Open Natal/RN 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]: Natal/RN. Data from the 2022 Demographic Census (IBGE). Data version: 2026-10-01. Available at: https://atlas-da-migracao.github.io/en/municipio/natal-rn-2408102/. Dataset DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22469791.