Hypertension causes varying degrees of disability and a reduction in life expectancy. The contribution of occupation as a risk factor in hypertension has been understood to be associated with "psychological factors" or "psychosocial factors" that generate stress. Official statistics do not include informal work, which is increasingly common in Brazil's major capitals. A prevalence study was carried out among street vendors in two areas of the city of Rio de Janeiro: Largo da Carioca and Largo de Machado. The aim of the study was to describe the main social variables of these professionals, measure the blood pressure of these workers and compare the social and physical data of the street vendors and peddlers in the two regions studied. 142 professionals were interviewed. The street vendors had higher blood pressure levels than the street vendors, but this difference was not statistically significant. The difference in blood pressure levels between the two areas was significant p=01639. The odds ratio was 2.275482094.