How safe is Mexico? The answer to that question most often depends upon where you live or visit. The U.S. Department of State reports that crime in Mexico varies widely by location. For example, Mérida, the capital of the state of Yucatán and the home of many expats, reported a homicide rate of only 2.2 per 100,000 people, making it one of the safest places to live in Mexico. Aguascalientes, a central Mexico highland city of over 1 million, also had a low homicide rate of 4.2.
Overall, Mexico’s homicide rate is one of the highest in the world with an average of 21.5 reported homicides per 100,000 people, far higher than the 4.7 per 100,000 in the U.S., according to the World Health Organization.
According the U.S. Department of State, millions of Americans safely live, work and take vacations in Mexico every year. However, organized criminal groups continue to produce significant levels of violence throughout parts of the country. The northern half of Mexico is considered a higher threat area, primarily due to organized criminal conflicts and competition for drug trafficking routes to the U.S.
You can find additional personal safety information for Mexico at this U.S. Department of State website.
For a more detailed look at personal safety in Mexico, read our articles “The Truth About Personal Safety in Mexico” and “How Safe Is Mexico for Expats.”
For safety information on a city we profile in our Cities section, please click on the city and then click on Safety.
