Mexico recorded its strongest improvement in peace in the latest index, helped by a sharp fall in homicides. But the same report points to concerns that remain close to daily life: family violence, sexual violence, uneven state results, and pressure on courts and prisons. The findings give residents a mixed picture of national safety trends, with progress in some crime measures and serious warnings about whether those gains can last across communities that experience violence in very different ways.

Mexico peace index improves, but violence concerns remain

Mexico’s 2026 Peace Index recorded a 5.1% improvement in national peace levels during 2025. It was the largest annual gain in the index’s history. The change was driven mainly by a 22.7% drop in the homicide rate. That was equal to nearly 7,000 fewer deaths than in 2024.

But the same report gives a mixed picture. Family violence became Mexico’s most common violent crime category in 2025. The index also points to strain in courts and prisons, along with sharp differences among states.

The index, prepared by the Institute for Economics and Peace, compares states using several measures. They include homicide, organized crime, violent crime, firearms offenses, and fear of violence. It found that peace improved in 22 states and worsened in 10.

A homicide drop drove the national gain

The decline in homicides was the clearest reason for the improvement. The index says Mexico’s peace score has now improved for six straight years since the violence peak in 2019.

That does not return the country to the level it was at a decade ago. The 2026 report says Mexico’s peace score remains 9.9% worse than in 2015. It has improved 10.4% since 2019.

The most peaceful state was Yucatán, followed by Chiapas, Tlaxcala, Durango, and Campeche. Colima remained the least peaceful state for the fourth year in a row. It was followed by Sinaloa, Guanajuato, Morelos, and Baja California.

Jalisco ranked 15th among the 32 states. That places it near the middle of the state table, below Veracruz and above Querétaro.

Family violence shifted the picture

The report says the national violent-crime rate has risen 12.4% since 2015. That increase was driven by a 176% rise in sexual violence and a 107% rise in family violence.

The family violence rate did fall 2% in 2025. Still, the longer trend remains serious. In 2025, family violence reached about 720 incidents per 100,000 residents. That put it above robbery and assault, which were both near 660 incidents per 100,000 residents.

The index treats that change as a shift in the type of violence being recorded. Fewer homicides can improve the national score while other forms of violence remain common.

Courts and prisons remain under pressure

The report also links Mexico’s peace outlook to the justice system. It says Mexico has about two judges and magistrates per 100,000 residents. That is about one seventh of the global average.

The report says this limited capacity contributes to case backlogs, impunity, and people being held without sentence. It also notes a sharp rise in the prison population during 2025.

Mexico’s prison population increased by more than 20,000 people during the year. By December 2025, it stood above 256,000 people, the highest year-end total recorded by the index.

The economic cost remains high

The report estimates the economic impact of violence at four trillion pesos in 2025. That was equal to about 11% of Mexico’s gross domestic product.

The cost fell 11.4% from the previous year, mainly because of fewer homicides. Even so, the report says the impact was still about 30,036 pesos per person.

The burden was not equal across the country. Colima had the highest per-person cost, while Yucatán had the lowest. Guerrero and Morelos each had violence costs equal to more than one-third of the state’s GDP.

For residents of Mexico following safety trends, the index points to two realities at once. Lethal violence fell enough to improve the national score. Family violence, weak justice capacity, and regional gaps remain central parts of the security picture.