The Mexican government has reported a decline in the country's overall violent crime rate. The national intentional homicide rate was 17.5 per 100,000 residents in 2025, the lowest level since 2015, according to official data. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum attributes the dynamics to her government's current security strategy.
But the situation varies significantly from state to state. Homicide rates remain well above the national average in a number of regions, largely due to organized crime activity, cartel rivalry for control of territory, and extortion.
Here are the five states with the highest homicide rates in 2025, according to data from the Executive Secretariat of Mexico's National System of Public Security (SESNSP).
1. Colima
Homicide rate: 81.08 per 100,000 inhabitants
Colima — a state on the Pacific coast with a population of about 730 thousand people. The port of Manzanillo is located here — one of Mexico's largest seaports, playing a key role in both legal trade and illegal flows. Experts point out that the strategic importance of the port makes the region an object of constant interest from criminal groups involved in drug trafficking and extortion.
2. Morelos
Kill rate: 54.42
Morelos is located in the central part of the state and is part of a corridor connecting the state of Guerrero with other regions. This route is traditionally used to move drugs and weapons. Mexican media and analysts also note a high level of extortion and violent crimes directed against businesses and the local population.
3. Sinaloa
Kill rate: 52.17
The state of Sinaloa, located in northwestern Mexico, is historically associated with the activities of one of the state's most notorious drug cartels — Cartel de Sinaloa. Since the fall of 2024, the region has experienced a surge in violence associated with internal conflict within the Sinaloa cartel after the arrest of its head Ismael «El Mayo» Sambads. The confrontation between various factions has led to hundreds of deaths and increased threats to civilians.
4. Baja California
Kill rate: 41.48
Baja California covers key border cities — Tijuana and Mexicali. Proximity to the United States and the presence of developed infrastructure make the region one of the most conflict-ridden in terms of criminal markets. According to professionals, there are a large number of local criminal groups associated with larger cartels, between which armed clashes regularly occur.
5. Guanajuato
Kill rate: 38.84
Guanajuato — a central state and one of the most important industrial centers in Mexico, especially in the automotive sector. Despite economic development, the state remains the scene of a bitter struggle between the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel and the Jalisco New Generation cartel. (CJNG). Experts emphasize that the strategic position of the region — in the center of the state and at the intersection of key highways — making it especially valuable to criminal groups.