Mexican Urban Safety Perception Improves, but 58.6% Still Feel Unsafe

The perception of safety in Mexican cities has improved over recent years. A new survey reveals that fewer urban residents feel unsafe in their localities compared to previous years.

This shift marks a positive trend in public sentiment regarding security across the country. According to the latest National Urban Public Safety Survey by INEGI, 58.6% of urban Mexicans consider their area unsafe.

This figure represents a historic low, showing a notable change from last year’s 61.4%. The improvement reflects a significant shift in public opinion on local safety.

Five years ago, over 80% of urban Mexicans felt unsafe in their cities. Today, that number has dropped by nearly 20 percentage points.

However, challenges persist as more than half of the urban population still perceives their locality as dangerous. Gender disparities in safety perception remain a concern.

Women feel more unsafe than men, with 64.0% of women viewing their city as dangerous compared to 52.2% of men. This difference stems from specific types of violence against women and the hostile environments they face.

Public Safety in Mexico

Public spaces like ATMs, public transport, and streets are where Mexicans feel most vulnerable. In recent years, highways have also become one of the top five areas perceived as unsafe.

These findings highlight the need for targeted safety measures in public spaces. Tapachula, Chiapas, now ranks as Mexico’s most unsafe city, with 91.9% of its residents feeling endangered.

Naucalpan and Fresnillo follow closely, with 88.0% and 87.0% of their populations feeling unsafe, respectively. These high percentages underscore the urgent need for improved security measures.

On the other hand, San Pedro Garza García leads as the safest city. Only 13.7% of its residents feel unsafe. Benito Juárez in Mexico City and Tampico follow, with 17.5% and 20.0% feeling unsafe, respectively.

These cities serve as positive examples for others to emulate. Despite improvements, half of the urban population remains pessimistic about future safety.

31.8% believe the situation will remain poor, while 20.0% expect it to worsen. This outlook suggests a need for continued efforts to boost public confidence in security measures.

Interestingly, trust in federal authorities, especially the armed forces, remains high. Nine out of ten urban residents view the Navy’s crime prevention efforts positively.

The Air Force, Army, and National Guard also receive high approval ratings, ranging from 73.5% to 83.9%. However, local security forces face lower approval ratings.

Only 55.8% of urban residents view state police performance positively, while 48.6% approve of municipal preventive police. This disparity highlights the need for improved local policing strategies to boost public confidence.

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