Mexico’s latest federal security figures show a sharp decline in daily intentional homicides since September 2024. Officials are presenting April 2026 as a low point for killings in more than a decade. Still, the national picture is uneven. A small group of states continues to account for more than half of the country’s reported homicides, and public concern about safety remains high in many cities. The numbers show progress, but they also show where Mexico’s security challenges remain concentrated.
Federal figures show a lower daily homicide average
Mexico’s federal government reported a 40 percent drop in average daily intentional homicides, comparing September 2024 with April 2026.
According to figures from the federal security cabinet, the daily average fell from 86.9 homicides in September 2024 to 52.5 in April 2026. Officials said that represents about 34 fewer intentional homicides per day than the baseline month used in the report.
The government also described April 2026 as the lowest April for intentional homicides in 11 years. It said the first four months of 2026 were the lowest January-to-April period for this crime since 2016.
The data comes from the national public security system, which tracks reported crimes and homicide victims through information from state prosecutors. Daily homicide figures are preliminary and can change as legal classifications are reviewed.
Eight states accounted for most April homicides
The national decline does not mean violence fell evenly across Mexico.
In April, eight states accounted for 53 percent of the country’s reported intentional homicides. Chihuahua and Guanajuato led the list, with 129 homicides each, equal to 8.2 percent of the national total for each state.
Morelos followed with 7.1 percent. Baja California and Sinaloa each accounted for 6.4 percent. The State of Mexico represented 5.7 percent, Veracruz 5.6 percent, and Guerrero 5.3 percent.
That concentration matters for residents, travelers, and people considering where to live in Mexico. A national average can show a broad trend, but local conditions can vary widely from one state to another.
Lower homicide numbers do not erase security concerns
The drop in homicides is one of the clearest numbers the government can point to in its security strategy. It is also one of the most-watched indicators in Mexico.
Still, homicide data is only one measure of public safety. It does not show the full picture of extortion, disappearances, robberies, threats, or the daily concerns people may face in specific neighborhoods.
Public perception also remains an important part of the story. INEGI’s March 2026 urban security survey found that 61.5 percent of adults in 91 urban areas considered it unsafe to live in their city. That was lower than December 2025, but it still shows that many people do not feel the improvement in their daily routines.
For many residents, safety is judged less by national totals and more by what happens close to home. That includes local police response, road travel, neighborhood crime, and the visibility of organized crime activity.
The trend is positive, but still uneven
The latest figures give the federal government a stronger argument that intentional homicides are falling. The decline from September 2024 to April 2026 is large enough to be politically and socially significant.
At the same time, the April breakdown shows that Mexico’s homicide problem remains concentrated in specific states. Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Morelos, Baja California, Sinaloa, the State of Mexico, Veracruz and Guerrero continue to shape much of the national picture.
The main takeaway is not that Mexico has solved its security problem. It is that the homicide trend has moved downward while several violence hotspots continue to carry a large share of the country’s reported killings.
