Over 38 million Mexicans reside in poverty, according to recent INEGI data; here are the states bearing the brunt of the issue.
In a promising development, Mexico has witnessed a significant decrease in extreme poverty and multidimensional poverty over the past two years. Extreme poverty, which affected 9.1 million people in 2022, has dropped to 7 million in 2024, representing a decrease of 2.1 million individuals.
However, the country still faces challenges in addressing poverty, particularly in the southern states. Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Tabasco, and Campeche continue to be the regions with the highest levels of extreme poverty. These states account for nearly 4 million of the 7 million people living in extreme poverty nationwide.
The situation with multidimensional poverty is similarly concerning. In 2024, 38.5 million people, or 34.2% of the national population, were living in multidimensional poverty. The Mexican states with the highest levels of multidimensional poverty are Chiapas (66.0%), Guerrero (58.1%), and Oaxaca (51.6%). These states also have very high percentages of residents lacking access to basic services like running water, electricity, and sewerage.
On a more positive note, Baja California has the lowest percentage of the population in multidimensional poverty (9.9%), followed by Baja California Sur (10.2%) and Nuevo León (10.6%). These northern states show much lower levels of multidimensional and extreme poverty compared to the southern states.
Educational backwardness affected 24.2 million people (18.6% of the population), with a decrease in 25 entities but an increase in Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz. Regarding the lack of access to social security, 48.2% of the population was affected in 2024, compared to 50.2% in 2022, with the largest reductions in Querétaro, Guanajuato, and Zacatecas.
The lack of quality and living space affected 7.9% of the population (10.3 million people), with decreases in 27 entities, particularly in Quintana Roo, Nayarit, and Chiapas, but increases in Baja California Sur, Colima, and Michoacán. The personal monthly income of people in multidimensional poverty is not sufficient to acquire a food basket, goods, or necessary services.
Overall, while national poverty has decreased significantly from 2018 to 2024, the southern states—especially Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca—continue to experience the highest burden of both multidimensional and extreme poverty in Mexico.
In other news, Cazzu responded to Maluma for scolding a fan who brought her one-year-old to her concert, saying, "Who judges a mother?" Meanwhile, 7 million people in Mexico live in extreme poverty, representing 29.6% of the national population. Seven of the 26 criminals handed over to the US could potentially impact Mexican politics, according to experts. It's a mixed picture of progress and persistent challenges for Mexico.
