The perception of insecurity in Mérida increased during the second quarter of 2026, causing the Yucatán capital to lose positions in the national rankings. It now ranks 14th among Mexico’s safest cities, falling behind cities such as Nuevo Laredo and Los Mochis.
Mérida dropped out of the top 10 safest cities in the country during the last quarter of the previous year, when it fell to 13th place. By March 2026, it had recovered slightly to 11th place among the 91 cities evaluated in the National Urban Public Security Survey (ENSU) conducted quarterly by INEGI.
In March 2026, 33.7% of Mérida residents aged 18 and older considered the city unsafe to live in. By June, that figure had increased to 38.2%, representing a rise of 4.5 percentage points.
Perception of Insecurity Across the Yucatán Peninsula
Elsewhere on the Yucatán Peninsula, the perception of insecurity also increased in Campeche, while Chetumal and Cancún experienced slight decreases.
In the city of Campeche, the perception of insecurity rose from 55.1% to 65.9%, an increase of 10.8 percentage points, making it one of the cities with a statistically significant increase.
By contrast:
- Cancún: decreased from 71.3% to 70.1%.
- Chetumal: decreased from 64.2% to 62.1%.
Despite the increase, Mérida remains the city with the lowest perception of insecurity among the major cities of the Yucatán Peninsula.
| City | March 2026 | June 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mérida | 33.7% | 38.2% | +4.5 |
| Ciudad del Carmen | 47.0% | 45.8% | -1.2 |
| Campeche | 55.1% | 65.9% | +10.8 |
| Chetumal | 64.2% | 62.1% | -2.1 |
| Cancún | 71.3% | 70.1% | -1.2 |
The perception of insecurity in Cancún exceeds Mérida’s by 31.9 percentage points, while Campeche is 27.7 percentage points higher.
Yucatán Remains Below the National Average
Nationwide, 59.8% of respondents reported feeling unsafe living in their city during June 2026.
Mérida’s figure of 38.2% is 21.6 percentage points below the national average.
The cities with the highest perception of insecurity were:
- Irapuato – 91.2%
- Culiacán – 90.8%
- Reynosa – 86.6%
- Villahermosa – 84.2%
- Chimalhuacán – 83.7%
The cities with the lowest perception of insecurity were:
- San Pedro Garza García – 10.6%
- Saltillo – 16.9%
- San Nicolás de los Garza – 16.9%
- Benito Juárez Borough (Mexico City) – 17.4%
Potholes Ranked Above Crime as Residents’ Main Concern
The ENSU also found that potholes on streets and avenues were identified as the principal urban problem, mentioned by 83.4% of respondents.
Other major concerns included:
- Failures and leaks in the drinking water supply: 65.4%
- Blocked storm drains due to accumulated waste: 60.4%
- Frequent traffic congestion: 59.4%
- Overcrowded or deficient hospitals: 58.4%
- Crime: 52.6%
These results indicate that, while public safety remains an important concern, many residents consider deficiencies in urban infrastructure and public services to be even more pressing issues.
Source: yucatan
