General services in Western Bahia include banking, legal services, primary and secondary schools, dental and medical services, hospitals and clinics, retail stores, travel agencies, restaurants, hotels, auto rental, and radio and TV stations. Several local, regional and national bus lines serve the area, and Ocean Air has direct flights between Barreiras and Brasilia and Salvador five days each week.

The Western Bahia economy is based on agriculture. Private firms provide a complete array of farm-related services such as agronomic consulting, grain and material transport, machine repair, and fuel delivery. Machinery and vehicle dealers carry parts inventories and offer shop services. Farm supply firms offer a wide range of production inputs, including fertilizer, micro nutrients and agricultural chemicals.