The economy of João Pessoa: the sectors driving growth
Article 46 of 100 · September 10, 2026 · 1 min read · Destino João Pessoa
Services, public administration and trade sustain a GDP of R$ 28.4 billion, the 49th largest in Brazil.
João Pessoa is the largest economy in Paraíba and accounts for 29.3% of the state's GDP. According to IBGE, the municipal Gross Domestic Product jumped from R$ 24.7 billion in 2022 to R$ 28.4 billion in 2023, a move that took the capital from 56th to 49th place among the hundred largest GDPs in the country and to 8th place among Northeast capitals. The municipality's GDP per capita in the same year was R$ 34.1 thousand.
The city's productive structure is dominated by the services sector, responsible for 60.1% of value added, followed by public administration (22.5%), industry (17.2%) and a residual agriculture and livestock sector (0.2%). This "services city" profile reflects the weight of tourism, trade and the state and municipal public machine in the local economy.
In the labor market, IBGE recorded 218,319 employed people in 2024, with retail trade concentrating 15.2% of jobs, followed by building construction (11.4%) and administrative and office functions (7.3%). Sebrae, in turn, counted 133,749 active companies in the city in 2025, also led by retail trade (16.8%), followed by food service (6.39%) and education (5.44%).
The municipality's strong performance accompanies a favorable state scenario: a Banco do Brasil study found that Paraíba had the highest percentage GDP growth among Brazilian states in 2024, driven by agriculture and livestock, industry and services, which helps explain the recent dynamism also seen in the capital.