The Mexico Peace Index 2025 (MPI) uses a range of indicators, including homicide rates, organised crime, violent crime, firearms crime, and fear of violence across Mexico’s 32 states to help determine each state’s overall peace score, reflecting both the current state of security and trends over time.
Sinaloa is home to one of the most powerful cartels in the world, the Sinaloa Cartel, and continues to grapple with violence. In 2024, the state recorded a homicide rate of 28.9 per 100,000 people. Despite its association with the notorious cartel, Sinaloa also faces violence due to internal power struggles within the organisation, as well as conflicts with rival cartels.
Sinaloa’s central role in the drug trade has made it a target for both domestic and international law enforcement. The cartel’s involvement in the production and trafficking of narcotics, particularly methamphetamine and fentanyl, has exacerbated the state’s violent environment. While Sinaloa has historically been considered the birthplace of the drug trade in Mexico, its residents continue to suffer the consequences of cartel violence.
With a homicide rate of 29.7 per 100,000 people in 2024, Zacatecas ranks among the least peaceful states in Mexico. Located in the north-central part of Mexico, Zacatecas has faced increasing violence in recent years. The state’s geographical location, at the crossroads of several major drug trafficking routes, has made it a focal point for cartel activity.
Zacatecas has been particularly affected by inter-cartel violence, with rival groups fighting for control over the state’s strategic position. The ongoing conflict has caused widespread insecurity, affecting both urban and rural areas. Despite efforts to improve security, Zacatecas remains one of the most violent states in Mexico.
Nuevo León is Mexico’s third largest city. The northern state that includes the city of Monterrey has become a hotspot for organised crime and cartel violence. In 2024, the state recorded a homicide rate of 34.2 per 100,000 people. Nuevo León’s importance as an economic and industrial hub has made it a target for cartels seeking to profit from its thriving commercial activities.
The violence in Nuevo León is largely driven by conflicts between rival cartels, particularly the CJNG and the Gulf Cartel. These groups engage in bloody turf wars over control of trafficking routes and local extortion rackets. Despite the state’s economic importance, the violence has disrupted daily life and made Nuevo León one of Mexico’s least peaceful regions.
A southern state known for its mountainous terrain and vibrant communities, Guerrero has long been plagued by violence. In 2024, Guerrero’s homicide rate stood at 37.5 per 100,000 people, driven by cartel wars, extortion, and kidnapping. The state has been a battleground for cartel operations, with groups vying for control of lucrative drug production areas, particularly opium poppy cultivation.
Guerrero’s political instability, coupled with a lack of investment in security and social programmes, has contributed to its continued struggles with violence. Organised crime and corruption have eroded the state’s social fabric, with many citizens living in constant fear of criminal groups. Guerrero remains one of Mexico’s most violent states, with few prospects for immediate peace.
Veracruz, a coastal state on Mexico’s Gulf of Mexico, has been grappling with high levels of violence and insecurity. In 2024, the state recorded a homicide rate of 38.1 per 100,000 people, with much of the violence attributed to organised crime and the involvement of cartels in the state’s drug trade. Veracruz’s location along major transport routes makes it a strategic point for trafficking, which has attracted the attention of criminal groups seeking to control the flow of drugs.
Corruption within local law enforcement agencies has further hindered efforts to combat crime in Veracruz. The state’s governance challenges, coupled with high levels of violence, have created an environment where organised crime can thrive. Despite federal intervention, Veracruz continues to face an uphill battle in its efforts to restore peace.
Download the Mexico Peace Index 2025 report.
Home to Mexico’s famous tourist hotspots such as Cancún and Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo has seen a sharp rise in violence in recent years. With a homicide rate of 40.1 per 100,000 people in 2024, the state’s situation is dire. While Quintana Roo has long been a tourist haven, the influx of organised crime has disrupted the region’s reputation for peace and stability.
The primary cause of violence in Quintana Roo is the increasing involvement of criminal groups in the tourism and drug trafficking industries. Cartels have targeted the region’s tourist centres, extorting businesses and engaging in violent turf wars. The state’s heavy reliance on tourism has made it more vulnerable to the destabilising effects of organised crime. Despite efforts to boost security, Quintana Roo remains in a constant state of unrest.
A small state in central Mexico, Morelos has consistently ranked among the least peaceful states. In 2024, its homicide rate stood at 43.8 per 100,000 people, driven largely by organised crime and cartel violence. The state’s location, nestled between the high-traffic drug corridors of Mexico City and Guerrero, has made it a battleground for competing criminal groups.
Morelos has struggled with weak law enforcement and high levels of corruption within local governments, which has enabled organised crime to flourish. Violence in the state has been particularly severe, with cartels using kidnapping, extortion, and murder as tools of control. The rising levels of violence have left many communities in fear, contributing to the state’s position among the least peaceful regions in Mexico.
Baja California, situated on Mexico’s border with the US, is one of the country’s most violent states, with a homicide rate of 46.5 per 100,000 people in 2024. As a key entry point for drugs and illicit goods into the US, the state has long been a hotspot for cartel activity. The presence of multiple cartels, including the Sinaloa and CJNG cartels, has resulted in a protracted battle for control of drug trafficking routes.
Baja California’s proximity to the US, combined with the high volume of illicit trade that flows through the region, has made it a focal point for criminal activity. Violence is exacerbated by the state’s porous borders and the ease with which firearms and drugs are trafficked across the region. The ongoing cartel conflict, coupled with a lack of effective law enforcement, continues to plague the state, making it one of the least peaceful in Mexico.
Located in central Mexico, Guanajuato has been facing an increasingly violent environment in recent years. The state recorded the second-highest homicide rate in 2024, with 49.3 deaths per 100,000 people. The main drivers of violence in Guanajuato are the turf wars between rival cartels, notably the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel. The battle for control over the state’s lucrative drug trade routes has led to a dramatic rise in homicides and violent crime.
The ongoing cartel conflict, alongside high levels of impunity and corruption within the local government, has created an environment where violence thrives. Despite efforts to improve security, Guanajuato remains one of Mexico’s most dangerous states, with local communities living in constant fear.
For the third consecutive year, Colima has ranked as Mexico’s least peaceful state. With a homicide rate of 101 per 100,000 people in 2024, Colima stands out for its extreme levels of violence. The small coastal state, known for its beautiful beaches and tourism industry, has been caught in the crossfire of violent turf wars between powerful cartels, particularly those involved in drug trafficking.
The state’s geographical location, close to important smuggling routes, has made it a prime target for organised criminal groups. Colima’s institutional weaknesses, coupled with the rapid growth of drug-related violence, have exacerbated the situation. The government’s struggle to control crime, combined with a lack of resources for local law enforcement, has allowed violence to escalate unchecked, leaving the state’s population at great risk.
While many states in Mexico remain challenged by violence and organised crime, there are regions where peace and stability are prevailing.
Gender-based violence is a multifaceted phenomenon in Mexico, representing one of the key challenges to building sustainable peace in the country.
Identifying and measuring the factors that drive peace.
Identificación y medición de los factores que impulsan la paz
