São Paulo has always been a major migratory hub in Brazil, receiving people from all over the country and even from abroad. But, for the first time, the state has lost more residents than it has received new ones. This is what the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) says, whose analysis shows that there is currently a greater flow of people leaving São Paulo than moving here.
Data from the 2022 Census, released last Friday (27), shows that almost 826,000 people left the state of São Paulo between 2017 and 2022, while around 736,000 moved here. In other words, a negative balance of 90,000 – the first time São Paulo has had negative migration since 1991, when the IBGE started measuring this indicator.
Why are so many people leaving São Paulo?
One of the reasons for this new influx of migrants is the search for a better quality of life. Many residents of the city of São Paulo and other large cities prefer to move to quieter regions, with less traffic and lower levels of violence.
What’s more, with the cost of living is rising every day in São Paulo many families prefer to move to smaller cities, or even the capitals of other states, where they can live more cheaply.
The increase in remote work vacancies also allows many workers to keep their jobs in São Paulo, where the average salary is higher, while living in cheaper cities, making their earnings more profitable.
Where are São Paulo residents going?
One of the main destinations is Santa Catarina, which had a positive migration balance of more than 350,000 people between 2017 and 2022. Florianópolis is a city that stands out for offering the infrastructure of a metropolis while remaining the safest capital in Brazil.
In addition, the Northeast is one of the favorite regions for migrants from São Paulo, with a large influx to Bahia, Ceará and Pernambuco. The Center-West has also become a highlight due to the strengthening of agribusiness.
Despite all this, São Paulo is still the state that receives the most migrants in Brazil. In other words, the data does not indicate a total decline in migration to São Paulo cities, but rather an increase in the number of people making the opposite journey.
There are still many people from the Northeast who settle in São Paulo, for example. But now, more and more São Paulo residents are moving to northeastern states too.
