The employed population (21.6 million people), in the aggregate of the six investigated metropolitan areas, decreased (-1.0%) in relation to December, what corresponds to 210 thousand less jobs. In relation to January 2009, there was a 2.1% rise, or 451 thousand less jobs in a year.

In the groups of economic activity, in the total of six metropolitan areas, there was stability in relation to December 2009. In comparison to January 2009, three groups presented rises: Construction (8.9%), Services rendered to enterprises, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation (4.9%) and Domestic services (6.7%).

The average real income usually earned (R$ 1,373.50) had a 1.1% rise over December 2009 (R$ 1,359.17) and decreased (-0.4%) in relation to January of last year (R$ 1,378.74). The table below shows the average real income usually earned, by type of participation in the job market.

The following table presents the real income usually earned, by group of activity:

The next table shows the average household income per capita, by metropolitan area:

The unemployment rate increased 0.4 percentage point in relation to December (6.8%) and decreased 1.0 percentage point in relation to January 2009 (8.2%). The unemployed population (1.7 million) grew 6.0% in the monthly comparison (95 thousand more people) and declined (-10.7%) in relation to January 2009 (203 thousand less people). The employed population (21.6 million) decreased (-1.0%) (or 210 thousand less job) in relation to December and increased 2.1% (451 thousand more jobs) in relation to January 2009. The number of workers with a formal contract (9.8 million) was stable in the month and increased 3.5% in relation to January of last year (or 333 thousand more jobs with formal contract). The average real income usually earned (R$ 1,373.50) increased 1.1% in the month and decreased (-0.4%) in relation to January 2009. The volume of real income actually earned (R$ 37.2 billion), related to December 2009, increased 16.7% in the monthly analysis and 1.7% in the annual analysis. The volume of real income usually earned ((R$ 30 billion) relative to January 2010 was stable in the month and grew 2.1% in the year. The average household income per capita grew 0.9% in the monthly analysis and 3.6% in the year.

In January 2010, the unemployment rate (7.2%) grew 0.4 percentage point in the monthly comparison. In relation to January 2009, the rate decreased 1.0 percentage point. Between December 2008 and January 2009, this estimate increased 1.4 percentage point. 

The number of unemployed people, estimated in 1.7 million in the total of the six investigated areas, presented a 6.0% rise in the monthly comparison (95 thousand more people in a month) and a 10.7% fall in the comparison with January 2009 (203 thousand less people in a year). Belo Horizonte was the only metropolitan area that presented a significant variation in the number of unemployed people in relation to last December (18.2%). In relation to January 2009, three areas were responsible for the decreased unemployment: Rio de Janeiro (16.8%), São Paulo (14.6%) and Porto Alegre (24.0%).