Joaçaba is a city situated in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, with approximately 30,404 inhabitants.

Located in 27º10'22" S and 51º30'03" W and 516.74 m above sea level, the city was colonized in the early 20th century by German and Italian immigrants.

Today, the city is known for its medical center, which brings medical students and patients from all over Santa Catarina, as well as for its university (UNOESC – Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina) which attracts students from all over the country.

It is also noted for its Carnaval and the high quality of life for its inhabitants, which was ranked 1st for the state of Santa Catarina and 8th for Brazil.

The IDH (HDI) list (Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano – Index of Human Development), provided by the UN, gave Joaçaba the score of "0.953" in a scale of 0 to 1 for the year 2003.