Key Mexican Regions and Their Unemployment Trends
According to the National Employment and Occupation Survey (ENOE) by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), Ciudad de México, Tabasco, Querétaro, and Guanajuato have the highest unemployment rates in November. Meanwhile, five states—Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacán, Baja California Sur, and Veracruz—show the lowest unemployment rates.
Highest Unemployment Rates
- Ciudad de México: 4.02% of the Economically Active Population (PEA) is unemployed.
- Tabasco: 4.00% of the PEA is unemployed.
- Querétaro: 3.76% of the PEA is unemployed.
- Guanajuato: 3.75% of the PEA is unemployed.
- Coahuila: 3.60% of the PEA is unemployed.
Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Guerrero: 1.13% of the PEA is unemployed.
- Oaxaca: 1.15% of the PEA is unemployed.
- Michoacán: 1.20% of the PEA is unemployed.
- Baja California Sur: 1.24% of the PEA is unemployed.
- Veracruz: 1.54% of the PEA is unemployed.
The unemployment rate refers to those who did not work even one hour during the reference week of the survey but expressed their willingness to work and engaged in activities to find employment, as defined by the statistics institute.
Annual and Monthly Trends
Querétaro experienced the most significant increase in unemployment rates, both annually and monthly, among the 32 federal entities. Between October and November 2025, Querétaro’s unemployment rate rose by 1.65 percentage points from 2.11% to 3.76% of the PEA.
- Hidalgo: 1.17 percentage points increase
- Morelos: 1.17 percentage points increase
- Guanajuato: 1.04 percentage points increase
- Baja California: 0.92 percentage points increase
In contrast, 15 states saw a decrease in unemployment rates between 0.04 and 2.12 percentage points, while five states experienced reductions in unemployment rates:
- Baja California Sur: -2.12 percentage points
- Quintana Roo: -1.78 percentage points
- Chiapas: -1.28 percentage points
- Aguascalientes: -1.20 percentage points
- San Luis Potosí: -0.91 percentage points
Annual Comparative Analysis
Over the past year, Querétaro again led in terms of increased unemployment rates, dropping from 1.88% in November 2024 to 3.76% in November 2025—an increase of 1.88 percentage points.
- Morelos: +0.92 percentage points
- Campeche: +0.83 percentage points
- Aguascalientes: +0.79 percentage points
- Baja California: +0.79 percentage points
- Guanajuato: +0.59 percentage points
Oaxaca had the most significant decrease in unemployment rates over the last 12 months, dropping by 1.82 percentage points. Other states with decreases include Colima (-1.68), Nuevo León (-0.91), Chiapas (-0.85), and Tabasco (-0.84 percentage points).
In November 2025, unemployment increased annually in 17 states and decreased in 15. In November 2024, the annual increase was observed in 15 states, and a decrease was noted in 16.
The national unemployment rate reached 2.7% of the PEA in November, with women experiencing a 2.9% unemployment rate and men at 2.5%. The overall rate increased by 0.1 percentage points from 2.6% in 2024.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the ENOE? The National Employment and Occupation Survey (ENOE) is conducted by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) to collect data on employment, unemployment, and labor force participation.
- What does the PEA stand for? The Economically Active Population (PEA) refers to individuals aged 15 years and older who are able to and available for work.
- What factors contribute to changes in unemployment rates? Factors include economic conditions, industry trends, government policies, and migration patterns.
