Migration in Santa Maria/RS (2017–2022)

Santa Maria/RS had a reference population (aged 5 or over in 2022) of 256,895 people. In the 2017–2022 five-year period, the municipality received 20,750 in-migrants and lost 23,735 out-migrants to other municipalities in Brazil, resulting in a net migration of −2,985 people (−11.62 per 1,000 population) and a migration effectiveness index (IEM) of −0.067. This classifies the municipality, for the period, as one of migratory depletion. In addition, 40 arrived with an unreported origin and 225 came from abroad.

Indicators

Migration indicators for Santa Maria/RS, 2017–2022
Indicator	Estimate	95% CI	Precision
In-migrants	20,750	19,438 to 22,062	good
Out-migrants	23,735	22,231 to 25,239	good
Net migration	−2,985	−4,981 to −989	not classified
Net migration rate, TLM (per 1,000 pop.)	−11.62	-	-
Migration effectiveness index (IEM)	−0.067	-	-

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 Santa Maria/RS
Origin	People	Precision
Porto Alegre/RS · view pair in the atlas	1,205	good
Florianópolis/SC · view pair in the atlas	645	use with caution
Uruguaiana/RS · view pair in the atlas	585	use with caution
Alegrete/RS · view pair in the atlas	580	use with caution
São Pedro do Sul/RS · view pair in the atlas	515	use with caution
Santiago/RS · view pair in the atlas	455	use with caution
Caxias do Sul/RS · view pair in the atlas	440	use with caution
São Gabriel/RS · view pair in the atlas	400	use with caution
São Sepé/RS · view pair in the atlas	370	use with caution
Brasília/DF · view pair in the atlas	360	low precision

Top 10 destinations of out-migrants from Santa Maria/RS
Destination	People	Precision
Porto Alegre/RS · view pair in the atlas	1,765	good
Florianópolis/SC · view pair in the atlas	1,645	use with caution
Itaara/RS · view pair in the atlas	645	good
Santiago/RS · view pair in the atlas	535	use with caution
São José/SC · view pair in the atlas	470	use with caution
Pelotas/RS · view pair in the atlas	415	use with caution
São Pedro do Sul/RS · view pair in the atlas	385	use with caution
Brasília/DF · view pair in the atlas	365	low precision
Cachoeira do Sul/RS · view pair in the atlas	340	use with caution
Balneário Camboriú/SC · view pair in the atlas	340	use with caution

Profile of migrants and residents

In-migrants (arrivals)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	8,975	43.2%	>=500
Multi-step migration	7,645	36.8%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	4,065	19.6%	100-499
Born abroad, internal migrant	70	0.3%	5-19

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed higher education	5,145	43.0%	100-499
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	3,960	33.1%	100-499
No schooling or incomplete elementary	1,740	14.5%	100-499
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	1,125	9.4%	100-499

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
More than 2 minimum wages	6,785	32.7%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	5,640	27.2%	>=500
½ to 1 minimum wage	3,725	18.0%	100-499
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	2,180	10.5%	100-499
¼ to ½ minimum wage	1,995	9.6%	100-499
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	420	2.0%	20-49

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 15–24, female	3,710	17.9%	100-499
Ages 25–39, male	3,060	14.7%	100-499
Ages 25–39, female	3,030	14.6%	100-499
Ages 15–24, male	3,000	14.5%	100-499
Ages 40–59, female	2,185	10.5%	100-499
Ages 40–59, male	1,915	9.2%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, female	1,095	5.3%	100-499
Ages 5–14, male	1,050	5.1%	100-499
Ages 5–14, female	1,015	4.9%	50-99
Ages 60 and over, male	690	3.3%	50-99

Out-migrants (departures)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Multi-step migration	9,985	42.1%	>=500
First move from municipality of birth	9,950	41.9%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	3,710	15.6%	>=500
Born abroad, internal migrant	95	0.4%	5-19

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed higher education	9,140	52.0%	>=500
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	5,135	29.2%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	1,770	10.1%	100-499
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	1,530	8.7%	100-499

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
More than 2 minimum wages	11,170	47.1%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	5,405	22.8%	>=500
½ to 1 minimum wage	4,255	17.9%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	1,700	7.2%	100-499
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	995	4.2%	100-499
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	215	0.9%	20-49

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	5,680	23.9%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	5,000	21.1%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	2,375	10.0%	100-499
Ages 40–59, female	2,235	9.4%	100-499
Ages 15–24, female	1,960	8.3%	100-499
Ages 15–24, male	1,610	6.8%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, female	1,385	5.8%	100-499
Ages 5–14, male	1,360	5.7%	100-499
Ages 5–14, female	1,225	5.2%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, male	900	3.8%	100-499

Non-migrant residents

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	59,235	34.0%	>=500
Completed higher education	47,240	27.1%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	42,055	24.1%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	25,940	14.9%	>=500

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
1 to 2 minimum wages	72,460	28.9%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	70,990	28.3%	>=500
½ to 1 minimum wage	63,255	25.2%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	28,930	11.5%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	13,205	5.3%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	1,875	0.7%	100-499

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 40–59, female	35,395	15.0%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	30,650	13.0%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, female	30,395	12.9%	>=500
Ages 25–39, female	28,475	12.1%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	27,970	11.9%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, male	21,585	9.2%	>=500
Ages 15–24, male	16,710	7.1%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	16,255	6.9%	>=500
Ages 5–14, male	14,460	6.1%	>=500
Ages 5–14, female	13,975	5.9%	>=500

Commuting (work and study)

Commuting indicators for Santa Maria/RS
Employed persons (aged 10 and over)	130,505
Commute out to work in another municipality	3,390
Commute in from another municipality to work here	5,280
Net commuting	+1,895
Out-commuting rate (%)	2.60
Commuting attraction index	0.995
Median commuting time	60 min

Open Santa Maria/RS 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]: Santa Maria/RS. Data from the 2022 Demographic Census (IBGE). Data version: 2026-10-01. Available at: https://atlas-da-migracao.github.io/en/municipio/santa-maria-rs-4316907/. Dataset DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22469791.