# Mexico economic competitiveness trends

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/mexico-economic-competitiveness-trends
> Updated: 2026-09-21T12:09:00.000Z. Sources: 23. Developments: 2.

Mexico continues to face challenges in meeting national economic competitiveness targets. According to the World Competitiveness Index, the country missed its Ministry of Economy targets for both 2025 and 2026, with its score dropping significantly to result in a decline from 55th to 62nd place. While the federal government noted strengths in trade integration and supply chain relocation, it identified limitations in productivity and growth.

On a regional level, the 2026 State Competitiveness Index (ICE) released by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) highlights divergent trajectories across the country. The report, titled ‘The Pillars of the New Economy’, evaluates 32 Mexican entities across 53 indicators to assess their ability to attract and retain talent and investment.

Mexico City remains the national leader, maintaining its top position through strengths in innovation, economy, infrastructure, and society. Querétaro follows in second place, supported by its automotive, aerospace, and data center industries, while Nuevo León holds third place due to high economic complexity and low labor informality. 

Significant shifts were observed in other states. Quintana Roo recorded the largest improvement, climbing 12 positions to reach ninth place, driven by improvements in infrastructure and mobility. Baja California Sur secured fifth place, driven by tourism and real estate, while San Luis Potosí reached tenth. Conversely, some regions faced setbacks: Jalisco dropped from fourth to sixth place due to concerns regarding insecurity and corruption, and Chihuahua experienced a sharp decline, falling seven positions to 15th place.

## Claims

- The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) released the 2026 State Competitiveness Index (ICE). (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Jalisco dropped two positions, moving from fourth to sixth place in the national ranking. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Mexico City maintains the top national position in competitiveness. (single source)
- Chihuahua fell to 15th place nationally, its lowest position in ten years. (single source)
- Only 21 percent of adults in Jalisco report feeling safe. (single source)
- 86 percent of the urban adult population in Jalisco considers corruption practices to be frequent or very frequent. (single source)
- Quintana Roo recorded the largest advancement in the index, rising 12 positions. (single source)
- Seventeen Mexican states showed a decline in competitiveness in the 2026 index. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-21: Mexico City leads 2026 State Competitiveness Index

IMCO's 2026 State Competitiveness Index ranks Mexico City first, followed by Querétaro and Nuevo León. Quintana Roo saw the largest jump, while Jalisco and Chihuahua faced declines.

20 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexico-city-leads-2026-state-competitiveness-index-as-jalisco-and-chihuahua-decline

### 2026-09-15: Mexico misses global competitiveness targets for 2025 and 2026

Mexico failed to meet its 2025 and 2026 competitiveness targets, with its World Competitiveness Index ranking dropping to 62nd place due to challenges in productivity and economic growth.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexico-misses-global-competitiveness-targets-for-2025-and-2026

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Cite as: Mexico economic competitiveness trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/mexico-economic-competitiveness-trends