Migration in São Luís/MA (2017–2022)

São Luís/MA had a reference population (aged 5 or over in 2022) of 974,360 people. In the 2017–2022 five-year period, the municipality received 45,045 in-migrants and lost 87,780 out-migrants to other municipalities in Brazil, resulting in a net migration of −42,735 people (−43.86 per 1,000 population) and a migration effectiveness index (IEM) of −0.322. This classifies the municipality, for the period, as one of migratory depletion. In addition, 550 arrived with an unreported origin and 325 came from abroad.

Indicators

Migration indicators for São Luís/MA, 2017–2022
Indicator	Estimate	95% CI	Precision
In-migrants	45,045	42,315 to 47,775	good
Out-migrants	87,780	84,784 to 90,776	good
Net migration	−42,735	−46,788 to −38,682	not classified
Net migration rate, TLM (per 1,000 pop.)	−43.86	-	-
Migration effectiveness index (IEM)	−0.322	-	-

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 São Luís/MA
Origin	People	Precision
São Paulo/SP · view pair in the atlas	1,790	use with caution
Pinheiro/MA · view pair in the atlas	1,410	use with caution
Brasília/DF · view pair in the atlas	1,380	use with caution
Rio de Janeiro/RJ · view pair in the atlas	1,105	use with caution
Cururupu/MA · view pair in the atlas	1,090	use with caution
Santa Inês/MA · view pair in the atlas	955	use with caution
São José de Ribamar/MA · view pair in the atlas	895	use with caution
Penalva/MA · view pair in the atlas	855	low precision
Viana/MA · view pair in the atlas	815	use with caution
Belém/PA · view pair in the atlas	805	use with caution

Top 10 destinations of out-migrants from São Luís/MA
Destination	People	Precision
São José de Ribamar/MA · view pair in the atlas	18,425	good
Paço do Lumiar/MA · view pair in the atlas	10,110	good
São Paulo/SP · view pair in the atlas	1,560	use with caution
Brasília/DF · view pair in the atlas	1,365	use with caution
Raposa/MA · view pair in the atlas	1,230	good
Rio de Janeiro/RJ · view pair in the atlas	1,130	use with caution
Fortaleza/CE · view pair in the atlas	995	use with caution
Parauapebas/PA · view pair in the atlas	965	use with caution
Santa Inês/MA · view pair in the atlas	895	use with caution
Teresina/PI · view pair in the atlas	890	use with caution

Profile of migrants and residents

In-migrants (arrivals)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	24,945	55.4%	>=500
Multi-step migration	11,855	26.3%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	8,135	18.1%	100-499
Other / suppressed	115	0.3%	5-19

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	9,560	39.4%	100-499
Completed higher education	7,475	30.8%	100-499
No schooling or incomplete elementary	4,235	17.4%	100-499
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	3,010	12.4%	100-499

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	11,670	25.9%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	9,375	20.8%	100-499
More than 2 minimum wages	9,195	20.4%	100-499
¼ to ½ minimum wage	8,725	19.4%	100-499
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	5,920	13.1%	100-499
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	155	0.3%	5-19

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 15–24, female	8,780	19.5%	100-499
Ages 25–39, female	7,845	17.4%	100-499
Ages 25–39, male	6,635	14.7%	100-499
Ages 15–24, male	6,140	13.6%	100-499
Ages 40–59, female	3,645	8.1%	100-499
Ages 40–59, male	3,245	7.2%	100-499
Ages 5–14, female	3,085	6.8%	100-499
Ages 5–14, male	2,760	6.1%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, female	1,840	4.1%	50-99
Ages 60 and over, male	1,070	2.4%	20-49

Out-migrants (departures)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	49,335	56.2%	>=500
Multi-step migration	25,375	28.9%	>=500
Return to municipality of birth	12,965	14.8%	>=500
Born abroad, internal migrant	105	0.1%	5-19

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	24,245	42.8%	>=500
Completed higher education	16,690	29.5%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	8,825	15.6%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	6,890	12.2%	>=500

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	24,470	27.9%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	19,865	22.6%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	17,185	19.6%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	15,525	17.7%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	10,425	11.9%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	310	0.4%	20-49

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	18,005	20.5%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	16,370	18.6%	>=500
Ages 40–59, female	9,370	10.7%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	8,445	9.6%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	8,135	9.3%	>=500
Ages 5–14, male	7,835	8.9%	>=500
Ages 15–24, male	7,455	8.5%	>=500
Ages 5–14, female	7,385	8.4%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, female	2,540	2.9%	100-499
Ages 60 and over, male	2,200	2.5%	100-499
Other / suppressed	35	0.0%	5-19

Non-migrant residents

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	287,360	44.6%	>=500
Completed higher education	136,760	21.2%	>=500
No schooling or incomplete elementary	131,820	20.4%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	88,720	13.8%	>=500

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	304,515	30.7%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	221,610	22.3%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	186,185	18.8%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	146,160	14.7%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	128,860	13.0%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	4,525	0.5%	100-499

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 40–59, female	146,105	15.7%	>=500
Ages 25–39, female	133,690	14.4%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	118,100	12.7%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	117,085	12.6%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	77,105	8.3%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, female	75,790	8.2%	>=500
Ages 15–24, male	74,875	8.1%	>=500
Ages 5–14, male	67,570	7.3%	>=500
Ages 5–14, female	64,225	6.9%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, male	53,895	5.8%	>=500

Commuting (work and study)

Commuting indicators for São Luís/MA
Employed persons (aged 10 and over)	471,115
Commute out to work in another municipality	12,060
Commute in from another municipality to work here	76,190
Net commuting	+64,130
Out-commuting rate (%)	2.56
Commuting attraction index	1.117
Median commuting time	60 min

This municipality is part of Região Metropolitana da Grande São Luís → see the metropolitan region page

Open São Luís/MA 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]: São Luís/MA. Data from the 2022 Demographic Census (IBGE). Data version: 2026-10-01. Available at: https://atlas-da-migracao.github.io/en/municipio/sao-luis-ma-2111300/. Dataset DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22469791.