The National Survey on Urban Public Security (ENSU) published by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) reveals that the Mexican city with the highest perception of insecurity has undergone significant changes recently. By the end of 2024, Tapachula (Chiapas) held the top position as the most unsafe city, but this title has recently been taken by Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco, where 95.3% of the population reported feeling this way.
The residents of Villahermosa live with a high degree of insecurity due to clashes between organized crime groups seeking to control the trafficking of drugs and people from Central America. Other cities that follow on the list of perceived insecurity are Uruapan, Fresnillo, Culiacán, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, and Tapachula, each with percentages reflecting their citizens' concerns.
Culiacán has been a hotspot of violence in recent years, especially since the arrest of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, in September 2024. On the other hand, San Pedro Garza García remains the least unsafe city, closely followed by Piedras Negras, the Benito Juárez borough in Mexico City, Saltillo, Los Mochis, and Los Cabos.
The perception of insecurity among Mexicans has risen to 61.7% in the last quarter of 2024, coinciding with the early months of Claudia Sheinbaum's presidency. More than half of the population expects violence to continue to rise. These figures represent a significant increase compared to previous quarters, marking an important statistical change.
The Inegi data shows an increase in the perception of insecurity in Mexico, despite these indices reaching their lowest level in history at the end of López Obrador's term. The persistent gender gap is evident, with 67.8% of women feeling unsafe compared to 54.4% of men.
Regarding specific spaces where people feel most unsafe, ATMs, public transportation, highways, banks, and regular streets stand out. Citizens have reported the presence of crimes such as street alcohol consumption, theft, vandalism, drug selling or consumption, gunfire, and the presence of violent gangs. Fresnillo (Zacatecas) has repeatedly ranked first in perceived insecurity for several consecutive months.
