Mass income reaches a peak of R$370 billion while the unemployment rate remains at 5.4% in January
The average real income of Brazilian workers reached R$3,652 in the quarter ending in January 2026. The value represents the highest level in the historical series started in 2012 and signals an increase in the purchasing power of the tax payer.
There was an increase of 2.8% compared to the immediately previous 3 months and an expansion of 5.4% compared to the same period last year. The data was released by the (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) this Thursday (5th March 2026). Here is it (PDF – 3 MB).
The research shows that the improvement in remuneration follows the resilience of the national labor market. The unemployment rate was 5.4%, which indicates stability compared to the quarter from August to October 2025 and a drop of 1.1 percentage points compared to the previous year.
The mass of income, which adds up the salaries of all workers in the country, also established an unprecedented mark. The volume reached R$370.3 billion in the 1st moving quarter of the year. The amount grew 2.9% compared to the previous quarter and increased by 7.3% in 12 months. The result injects approximately R$25 billion into the economy.
The occupancy level remained high. , with the entry of 1.7 million new professionals into the market in 1 year. The expansion occurred with emphasis on the public administration sector, which added 1.1 million people in the annual comparison. The robust scenario helps to reduce the population’s dependence on the State for social assistance.
The IBGE household survey coordinator, Adriana Beriguy, stated that the stability of the indicators contradicted the seasonal movement expected for the beginning of the year. “The favorable results of November and December mitigated the traditional temporary layoffs of January”these.
As a positive reflection of economic activity, the informality rate fell to 37.5%, the lowest level since July 2020.
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