Sonora posts 7.2% rise in manufacturing output as population growth decelerates

In March 2026, Sonora's manufacturing sector recorded a 7.2% year‑on‑year increase, making the state the second‑largest grower nationally. Total industrial activity rose 2.1% YoY, with intermediate manufacturing up 13.5% and advanced manufacturing up 8.8%, placing Sonora among the top three states in those categories. Governor Alfonso Durazo Montaño attributed the expansion to state economic‑promotion policies and projects such as the Sonora Sustainable Energy Plan.

Meanwhile, Sonora's population growth has slowed markedly. The state's residents grew from 1,823,606 in 1990 to 2,944,840 in 2020 – an increase of just over 1.1 million in three decades. Annual growth fell from over 4% in the 1950s‑60s to about 1% between 2010 and 2020. The average age rose from 23 years in 2000 to 30 years in 2020, indicating an aging demographic. Growth is now concentrated in Hermosillo, Cajeme, Nogales and San Luis Río Colorado, prompting concerns about housing, health and employment for an older population.