Overview
- The Instituto Mexicano para la Competitividad (IMCO) released the 2026 Índice de Competitividad Estatal measuring 53 public indicators across six subindices and placed Ciudad de México first, Querétaro second and Nuevo León third.
- Quintana Roo and Nayarit recorded the largest year-to-year jumps with Quintana Roo climbing 12 places to ninth and Nayarit rising eight places to 14th, gains driven mainly by tourism, connectivity and improvements in public-safety metrics.
- IMCO flagged persistent weaknesses that could limit long-term gains, citing high national informality in the labor market, low export diversification in some states, and gaps in rule of law and public security.
- The report highlights sector strengths by state such as Chihuahua’s export intensity, Jalisco’s patent leadership, Baja California Sur’s foreign direct investment and Nuevo León’s lower informality and economic complexity.
- In its 20th anniversary edition IMCO recognized ten states for sustained competitiveness over two decades and urged subnational investment in energy, water, connectivity, education and care systems to meet the demands of the new economy.