Alejandro Alegría
La Jornada Newspaper
Saturday, January 24, 2026, p. 5
In December 2025, 63.8 percent of adults in 91 cities in Mexico considered it unsafe to live in the city where they reside, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) reported yesterday.
According to the National Urban Public Safety Survey (ENSU) corresponding to the fourth quarter of 2025, the figure did not show a significant change compared to the 63.0 percent reported in September 2025.
However, Inegi highlighted that the data for the last quarter of the year was higher than the 61.7 percent reported in December 2024.
By gender, the autonomous body reported that 69.4 percent of adult women considered the city where they reside to be unsafe, while 57.1 percent of men over 18 years of age perceived that living in the urban area where they are located is unsafe.
Uruapan, in Michoacán, was ranked as the most unsafe city to live in, as 88.7 percent of adults perceived it that way. Behind, with similar percentages, is Culiacán, Sinaloa; Ciudad Obregón, Sonora; Ecatepec de Morelos, state of Mexico and Irapuato, Guanajuato.
In contrast, the urban areas with the lowest percentages of the population with a perception of insecurity were San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, with 8.7 percent. He was followed by the Benito Juárez mayor’s office, in Mexico City; Piedras Negras, Coahuila; Los Mochis, Sinaloa; and San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León.
72.3 percent of the population indicated that they felt unsafe using ATMs on the street. Also, 64.9 considers little safety on the street and in public transportation. On the other hand, 58.9 feels unsafe on the road.
Most believe that crime will remain the same
Likewise, 33.7 percent of adults living in the 91 cities surveyed believe that crime and insecurity in their city will remain the same next year and even 25.6 percent think that things could get worse. However, 16.4 percent believe that the situation will continue just as well, and 23.2 percent are optimistic and think it will improve.
In the second half of 2025, it is estimated that 32.3 percent of households had, at least, one member who was the victim of at least one crime of total or partial vehicle theft, home robbery, assault on the street or public transportation (includes bank or ATM robbery), extortion or fraud.
The Inegi confirmed that extortion and fraud have become recurring threats to homes and, by extension, to local businesses.
In the last quarter of 2025, 42.5 percent of adults decided to take extra precautions with their valuables, such as jewelry, money or credit cards.
Likewise, 38 percent of families chose to adjust their children’s routines, ensuring that they are always accompanied when they leave home.
Additionally, 37.1 percent prefer to walk during the day rather than at night near their homes, and 23.9 percent plan their visits to family and friends more in advance.
The population indicated that the antisocial behavior they observed the most was alcohol consumption on the streets, with 59.7 percent. In second place were robberies or assaults, with 48.3; the sale or consumption of drugs came in third place, with 40.3; vandalism in homes or businesses ranked fourth, with 38.9, and frequent shootings with weapons, 36.7.
