Migration in Sobral/CE (2017–2022)

Sobral/CE had a reference population (aged 5 or over in 2022) of 189,405 people. In the 2017–2022 five-year period, the municipality received 7,275 in-migrants and lost 11,410 out-migrants to other municipalities in Brazil, resulting in a net migration of −4,130 people (−21.81 per 1,000 population) and a migration effectiveness index (IEM) of −0.221. This classifies the municipality, for the period, as one of migratory depletion. In addition, 125 arrived with an unreported origin and 80 came from abroad.

Indicators

Migration indicators for Sobral/CE, 2017–2022
Indicator	Estimate	95% CI	Precision
In-migrants	7,275	6,507 to 8,043	good
Out-migrants	11,410	10,307 to 12,513	good
Net migration	−4,130	−5,474 to −2,786	not classified
Net migration rate, TLM (per 1,000 pop.)	−21.81	-	-
Migration effectiveness index (IEM)	−0.221	-	-

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 Sobral/CE
Origin	People	Precision
Fortaleza/CE · view pair in the atlas	1,470	good
Santana do Acaraú/CE · view pair in the atlas	300	use with caution
Forquilha/CE · view pair in the atlas	265	low precision
Santa Quitéria/CE · view pair in the atlas	220	use with caution
Rio de Janeiro/RJ · view pair in the atlas	210	low precision
Tianguá/CE · view pair in the atlas	210	use with caution
Caucaia/CE · view pair in the atlas	200	low precision
Meruoca/CE · view pair in the atlas	165	use with caution
Teresina/PI · view pair in the atlas	155	low precision
Massapê/CE · view pair in the atlas	140	use with caution

Top 10 destinations of out-migrants from Sobral/CE
Destination	People	Precision
Fortaleza/CE · view pair in the atlas	1,525	use with caution
Forquilha/CE · view pair in the atlas	495	use with caution
Meruoca/CE · view pair in the atlas	420	use with caution
Camocim/CE · view pair in the atlas	405	use with caution
Tianguá/CE · view pair in the atlas	395	use with caution
Massapê/CE · view pair in the atlas	370	use with caution
São Paulo/SP · view pair in the atlas	325	low precision
Rio de Janeiro/RJ · view pair in the atlas	235	low precision
Santa Quitéria/CE · view pair in the atlas	215	low precision
Teresina/PI · view pair in the atlas	180	low precision

Profile of migrants and residents

In-migrants (arrivals)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	3,940	54.2%	100-499
Multi-step migration	1,790	24.6%	100-499
Return to municipality of birth	1,545	21.2%	100-499

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed higher education	1,525	33.6%	100-499
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	1,395	30.7%	100-499
No schooling or incomplete elementary	1,070	23.6%	100-499
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	550	12.1%	50-99

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	1,805	24.8%	100-499
1 to 2 minimum wages	1,465	20.1%	100-499
More than 2 minimum wages	1,345	18.5%	100-499
¼ to ½ minimum wage	1,315	18.1%	100-499
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	1,315	18.1%	100-499
Other / suppressed	30	0.4%	<5

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	1,595	21.9%	100-499
Ages 25–39, male	1,205	16.6%	100-499
Ages 15–24, female	965	13.3%	50-99
Ages 15–24, male	825	11.3%	50-99
Ages 40–59, male	615	8.5%	50-99
Ages 40–59, female	580	8.0%	50-99
Ages 5–14, male	525	7.2%	50-99
Ages 5–14, female	420	5.8%	20-49
Ages 60 and over, female	335	4.6%	20-49
Ages 60 and over, male	210	2.9%	20-49

Out-migrants (departures)

Migrant type
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
First move from municipality of birth	6,270	55.0%	>=500
Multi-step migration	3,005	26.3%	100-499
Return to municipality of birth	2,135	18.7%	100-499

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Completed higher education	2,570	34.4%	100-499
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	2,570	34.4%	100-499
No schooling or incomplete elementary	1,540	20.6%	100-499
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	790	10.6%	50-99

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	2,885	25.3%	100-499
1 to 2 minimum wages	2,545	22.3%	100-499
¼ to ½ minimum wage	2,240	19.6%	100-499
More than 2 minimum wages	2,065	18.1%	100-499
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	1,545	13.5%	100-499
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	135	1.2%	5-19

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	2,510	22.0%	100-499
Ages 25–39, male	2,175	19.1%	100-499
Ages 15–24, female	1,215	10.7%	100-499
Ages 15–24, male	1,130	9.9%	100-499
Ages 40–59, male	1,025	9.0%	100-499
Ages 40–59, female	920	8.1%	50-99
Ages 5–14, male	815	7.1%	50-99
Ages 5–14, female	775	6.8%	50-99
Ages 60 and over, male	440	3.9%	20-49
Ages 60 and over, female	400	3.5%	20-49

Non-migrant residents

Educational attainment (people aged 25 and over)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
No schooling or incomplete elementary	45,435	36.7%	>=500
Completed high school, incomplete higher education	43,885	35.5%	>=500
Completed elementary, incomplete high school	18,315	14.8%	>=500
Completed higher education	16,015	13.0%	>=500

Household income per capita (in 2022 minimum wages)
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
½ to 1 minimum wage	56,165	28.7%	>=500
¼ to ½ minimum wage	54,950	28.1%	>=500
Up to ¼ of a minimum wage	42,350	21.7%	>=500
1 to 2 minimum wages	27,995	14.3%	>=500
More than 2 minimum wages	12,665	6.5%	>=500
Not applicable (collective dwelling)	1,420	0.7%	100-499

Age and sex
Category	Estimate	Share	Sample
Ages 25–39, female	26,565	14.6%	>=500
Ages 40–59, female	25,815	14.2%	>=500
Ages 25–39, male	25,270	13.9%	>=500
Ages 40–59, male	22,590	12.4%	>=500
Ages 15–24, male	15,835	8.7%	>=500
Ages 15–24, female	15,360	8.4%	>=500
Ages 5–14, male	13,685	7.5%	>=500
Ages 5–14, female	13,400	7.4%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, female	13,260	7.3%	>=500
Ages 60 and over, male	10,145	5.6%	>=500

Commuting (work and study)

Commuting indicators for Sobral/CE
Employed persons (aged 10 and over)	78,875
Commute out to work in another municipality	1,410
Commute in from another municipality to work here	9,990
Net commuting	+8,580
Out-commuting rate (%)	1.79
Commuting attraction index	1.089
Median commuting time	40 min

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

Open Sobral/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]: Sobral/CE. Data from the 2022 Demographic Census (IBGE). Data version: 2026-10-01. Available at: https://atlas-da-migracao.github.io/en/municipio/sobral-ce-2312908/. Dataset DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22469791.