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Abstract Background: The frequency of trauma and violence exposure in urban areas and their effects on mental health in adolescents in developing countries are poorly investigated. Most information about traumatized young people comes from war scenarios or disasters. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PTSD in trauma-exposed students in a low-resource city of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The effects of sociodemographic, individual, family factors in the development of PTSD were also investigated. Methods: Through multi-stage cluster sampling, 862 adolescents ( M age = 15 years old, 65% female) from public and private schools in the city of São Gonçalo were selected for the study. Self-rating structured questionnaires were applied to assess sociodemographic profile, exposure to physical and psychological violence (family, school, community), sexual abuse, social support, social functional impairment, resilience, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The data were grouped in blocks regarding sociodemographic, individual, family, and community variables. For statistical analysis, chi-square, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression were performed. Results: The PTSD prevalence was 7.8% among adolescents. Boys were significantly exposed to more events of community violence while girls to family violence. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for PTSD were statistically significant for age (OR, 1.45, [95% CI, 1.043–2.007]), social functional impairment (OR, 4.82, [95% CI, 1.77–13.10]), severe physical violence of the mother (OR, 2.79, [95% CI, 0.79–9.93]), psychological violence by significant people (OR, 3.96, [95% CI, 1.89–8.31]) and a high number of episodes of community violence (OR, 3.52, [95% CI, 1.47–8.40). Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of PTSD within this population associated with violence exposure. Not only physical but also psychological violence contributed to PTSD. The results also raise awareness for the differences in life trajectories between boys and girls regarding violence. These differences need to be better understood in order to develop effective preventative interventions. Treating and preventing mental health disorders presents a challenge for countries, especially those with a lower degree of social and economic development and who have high community violence.