In 2022, approximately 11.45 million people lived in São Paulo, making it the largest municipality in Brazil and one of the most populous cities in the world. The homonymous state of São Paulo was also the most populous federal entity in the country.

Brazil's cities

Brazil is home to two large metropolises: São Paulo with close to 11.45 million inhabitants, and Rio de Janeiro with around 6.21 million inhabitants. It also contains a number of smaller, but well known cities such as Brasília, Salvador, Belo Horizonte and many others, which report between 2 and 3 million inhabitants each. As a result, the country's population is primarily urban, with nearly 85 percent of inhabitants living in cities.

While smaller than some of the other cities, Brasília was chosen to be the capital because of its relatively central location. The city is also well-known for its modernist architecture and utopian city plan which is quite controversial - criticized by many and praised by others.

Sports venues capitals

A number of Brazil’s medium-sized and large cities were chosen as venues for the 2014 World Cup, and the 2015 Summer Olympics also took place in Rio de Janeiro. Both of these events required large sums of money to support infrastructure and enhance mobility within a number of different cities across the country. Billions of dollars were spent on the 2014 World Cup, which went primarily to stadium construction and renovation, but also to a number of different mobility projects. Other short-term spending on infrastructure for the World Cup and the Rio Olympic Games was estimated at around 50 billion U.S. dollars. While these events have poured a lot of money into urban infrastructure, a number of social and economic problems within the country remain unsolved.

In 2025, approximately 23 million people lived in the São Paulo metropolitan area, making it the biggest in Latin America and the Caribbean and the sixth most populated in the world. The homonymous state of São Paulo was also the most populous federal entity in the country. The second place for the region was Mexico City with 22.75 million inhabitants. Brazil's cities Brazil is home to two large metropolises, only counting the population within the city limits, São Paulo had approximately 11.45 million inhabitants, and Rio de Janeiro around 6.21 million inhabitants. It also contains a number of smaller, but well known cities such as Brasília, Salvador, Belo Horizonte and many others, which report between 2 and 3 million inhabitants each. As a result, the country's population is primarily urban, with nearly 88 percent of inhabitants living in cities. Mexico City Mexico City's metropolitan area ranks sevenths in the ranking of most populated cities in the world. Founded over the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan in 1521 after the Spanish conquest as the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, the city still stands as one of the most important in Latin America. Nevertheless, the preeminent economic, political, and cultural position of Mexico City has not prevented the metropolis from suffering the problems affecting the rest of the country, namely, inequality and violence. Only in 2023, the city registered a crime incidence of 52,723 reported cases for every 100,000 inhabitants and around 24 percent of the population lived under the poverty line.

Brazil BR: Population in Largest City data was reported at 22,806,704.000 Person in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 22,619,736.000 Person for 2023. Brazil BR: Population in Largest City data is updated yearly, averaging 15,288,036.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2024, with 65 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22,806,704.000 Person in 2024 and a record low of 4,493,182.000 Person in 1960. Brazil BR: Population in Largest City data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.;United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.;;

Population in largest city in Brazil was reported at 22806704 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Brazil - Population in largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Population in the largest city (% of urban population) in Brazil was reported at 12.22 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Brazil - Population in the largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The statistic presents a ranking of the leading cities in Brazil in 2018, based on advertising spending. Brazil's largest city São Paulo ranked first, with more than 35 billion Brazilian reals (approximately nine billion U.S. dollars at December 31, 2018 exchange rates) invested in advertising in 2018.

The capital of Brazil and Curitiba were the cities with the highest hotel occupancy rate in the country in 2023, surpassing 66 percent. Out of the 15 listed cities, only one had an occupancy rate below 60 percent.

Graph and download economic data for Geographical Outreach: Number of Branches in 3 Largest Cities, Excluding Headquarters, for Credit Unions and Financial Cooperatives for Brazil (BRAFCBODULNUM) from 2005 to 2015 about branches, credit unions, Brazil, financial, and depository institutions.

Brazil BR: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data was reported at 12.223 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 12.203 % for 2023. Brazil BR: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 12.971 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2024, with 65 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.235 % in 1980 and a record low of 11.954 % in 2005. Brazil BR: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.;United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.;Weighted average;

In Brazil, 70.6 percent of consumers earned at least the equivalent of the highest 40 percent of global income earners as of 2022 in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Those who earned at least the equivalent of the top 10 percent of global income earners stood at 7.4 percent.

It is estimated that more than 8 billion people live on Earth and the population is likely to hit more than 9 billion by 2050. Approximately 55 percent of Earth’s human population currently live in areas classified as urban. That number is expected to grow by 2050 to 68 percent, according to the United Nations (UN).The largest cities in the world include Tōkyō, Japan; New Delhi, India; Shanghai, China; México City, Mexico; and São Paulo, Brazil. Each of these cities classifies as a megacity, a city with more than 10 million people. The UN estimates the world will have 43 megacities by 2030.Most cities' populations are growing as people move in for greater economic, educational, and healthcare opportunities. But not all cities are expanding. Those cities whose populations are declining may be experiencing declining fertility rates (the number of births is lower than the number of deaths), shrinking economies, emigration, or have experienced a natural disaster that resulted in fatalities or forced people to leave the region.This Global Cities map layer contains data published in 2018 by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). It shows urban agglomerations. The UN DESA defines an urban agglomeration as a continuous area where population is classified at urban levels (by the country in which the city resides) regardless of what local government systems manage the area. Since not all places record data the same way, some populations may be calculated using the city population as defined by its boundary and the metropolitan area. If a reliable estimate for the urban agglomeration was unable to be determined, the population of the city or metropolitan area is used.Data Citation: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision. Statistical Papers - United Nations (ser. A), Population and Vital Statistics Report, 2019, https://doi.org/10.18356/b9e995fe-en.

This horizontal bar chart displays companies by city using the aggregation count in Brazil. The data is about companies.

ABSTRACT What would the types of electoral speeches be for the health sector registered by applications to municipal governments? To investigate this issue, a qualitative study was carried out with a hermeneutical analysis of electoral program documents, registered by majority candidates in the first round of the municipal elections of 2016 in the Brazilian metropolises of São Paulo (SP) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ). In most of the speeches there was no description of specific institutional strategies for health, much less its terms of viability and feasibility. Four distinct discursive profiles were emphasized, in which the propositions for health policies were either reduced to the managerial aspect or subsumed by discursive commonplaces. Contextually, there was an emphasis on normative discourses and performative appeals, without consubstantiation in practical discourses.

Abstract COVID-19 has been affecting the way of life in cities. The pandemic curve grows significantly in some countries, such as Brazil, requiring rapid responses from the public administration. This research, conducted in April 2020, characterizes the use of digital tools in adapting Brazilian cities to the pandemic in light of the concept of smart cities, presenting a panorama of the current situation. The results indicated that 83% of the cities surveyed used digital tools in measures to fight the pandemic, such as increasing social distancing and adapting public services. The concentration of initiatives tends to follow the geographic distribution of confirmed cases, i.e., digital tools are more used in places where the pandemic curve is more accentuated. Also, cities that are historically more open to innovation demonstrated a heavier use of digital technologies and strategies to fight the pandemic. Finally, the results indicate that the largest Brazilian cities follow, at some level, the trends of digital optimization observed worldwide.

This horizontal bar chart displays countries yearly by capital city using the aggregation count in Brazil. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

In 2024, Florianópolis was considered the leading smart city in Brazil, having received an index score of 37.53 points. Vitória ranked second that year, at 37.5 points. Meanwhile, Brazil's most populated city, São Paulo, received an index score of 36.83 points, following in third place.

The report on Brazil City Gas Distribution covers a summarized study of several factors supporting market growth, such as market size, market type, major regions, and end-user applications. The report enables customers to recognize key drivers that influence and govern the market.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents the the household distribution across 16 income brackets among four distinct age groups in Brazil: Under 25 years, 25-44 years, 45-64 years, and over 65 years. The dataset highlights the variation in household income, offering valuable insights into economic trends and disparities within different age categories, aiding in data analysis and decision-making..

Key observations

• Upon closer examination of the distribution of households among age brackets, it reveals that there are 149(4.48%) households where the householder is under 25 years old, 1,000(30.05%) households with a householder aged between 25 and 44 years, 1,136(34.13%) households with a householder aged between 45 and 64 years, and 1,043(31.34%) households where the householder is over 65 years old.
• The age group of 25 to 44 years exhibits the highest median household income, while the largest number of households falls within the 45 to 64 years bracket. This distribution hints at economic disparities within the city of Brazil, showcasing varying income levels among different age demographics.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Income brackets:

• Less than $10,000
• $10,000 to $14,999
• $15,000 to $19,999
• $20,000 to $24,999
• $25,000 to $29,999
• $30,000 to $34,999
• $35,000 to $39,999
• $40,000 to $44,999
• $45,000 to $49,999
• $50,000 to $59,999
• $60,000 to $74,999
• $75,000 to $99,999
• $100,000 to $124,999
• $125,000 to $149,999
• $150,000 to $199,999
• $200,000 or more

Variables / Data Columns

• Household Income: This column showcases 16 income brackets ranging from Under $10,000 to $200,000+ ( As mentioned above).
• Under 25 years: The count of households led by a head of household under 25 years old with income within a specified income bracket.
• 25 to 44 years: The count of households led by a head of household 25 to 44 years old with income within a specified income bracket.
• 45 to 64 years: The count of households led by a head of household 45 to 64 years old with income within a specified income bracket.
• 65 years and over: The count of households led by a head of household 65 years and over old with income within a specified income bracket.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Brazil median household income by age. You can refer the same here

Socio-Spatial Inequalities In Access To Opportunities In Brazilian Cities, 2019
This dataset falls under the category Other.
It contains the following data: This study presents the first results of the Access to Opportunities Project, assessing the inequalities in access to opportunities in Brazilian largest cities in 2019 with estimates of access to jobs, health and education services. In this edition, the study includes accessibility estimates by active transport modes (walking and cycling) for the 20 largest cities in the country, and by public transport for 7 major cities (Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre and Curitiba).
This dataset was scouted on 2022-02-24 as part of a data sourcing project conducted by TUMI. License information might be outdated: Check original source for current licensing. The data can be accessed using the following URL / API Endpoint: https://www.ipea.gov.br/acessooportunidades/en/publication/2019_td2535/See URL for data access and license information.

Background: Domestic violence is a traumatic experience that can lead to physical consequences, mental disorders and financial damage. Over 18 cases per 100,000 inhabitants were reported in Brazil between 2013 and 2014. The ministry of health poses a mandatory notification of all cases of domestic violence, which is essential, bearing in mind its systemic relation to various social issues and the extensive regional differences and high socioeconomic inequalities present in Brazil.Aim: To analyze the characteristics of the notification rates of domestic violence and investigate the correlation of these with health and socioeconomic characteristics of large Brazilian cities.Methods: Retrospective data on notifications of domestic violence was collected from the National Information System for Notifiable Diseases for Brazil, 2017. Dependent variables were collected from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and Ministry of Citizenship. Inclusion criteria were: cities larger than 100.000 habitants and that had at least 20 reports, totaling 68.313 reports in 259 cities. These were stratified by age, race and sex of victim, type of violence used, violence perpetrator, place of occurrence and means of aggression. Proportional number of notified cases was calculated for each city to expose different characteristics of reports. A multiple linear regression model was used to investigate the correlation between report rates and different socioeconomic and health variables.Results: The analysis showed a high proportion of repeated violence, use of body strength and over 50% were perpetrated by a partner or boyfriend. Report rates were higher for women, black individuals and children under four, highlighting subgroups of the population that were more vulnerable. Indeed, these groups were correlated differently with socioeconomic variables. Poverty, assessed as Bolsa Família investment, was correlated with domestic violence report rates across vulnerable groups.Conclusion: The study showed that black women and children are more vulnerable to domestic violence, highlighting deleterious effects of patriarchy and structural racism within Brazilian society. Altogether, we suggest that reducing poverty, patriarchy and structural racism could lead to fewer cases of domestic violence.