How Many People Live in Mexico?

Mexico has a population of approximately 132.8 million people, making it the 10th most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. Mexico's population has grown enormously in living memory: from 28 million in 1950 to 133 million today, a nearly 5x increase in 75 years.

But the growth is slowing fast. The fertility rate crashed from 6.87 in 1950 (one of the highest in the world) to about 1.75 today. Mexico is expected to peak around 2060 at about 150 million and then begin declining. The transition was driven by urbanization, education, access to contraception, and one of the most successful family planning campaigns in Latin America (the famous 1970s slogan: "la familia pequeña vive mejor" or "the small family lives better").

Mexico City's metro area (21.8 million) is the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The country is extremely centralized: the Valley of Mexico alone contains about 16% of the national population. Northern Mexico (Monterrey, Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez) is wealthier and more industrial, while southern Mexico (Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero) has indigenous populations, higher poverty, and higher fertility rates.

📊 Key Demographics

🏙️ What Are Mexicos Largest Cities?

Mexico's fertility revolution

Mexico's fertility drop from 6.87 to 1.75 in one lifetime is one of the most dramatic demographic transitions ever recorded. In the 1970s, the average Mexican woman had 7 children. The government launched an aggressive family planning campaign, telenovelas promoted smaller families (the same effect as in Brazil), and urbanization did the rest. Today's young Mexicans have fertility rates comparable to Europeans. The country is now aging rapidly: by 2050, the median age will be 40, and Mexico will face the same pension and healthcare challenges that Japan and Europe face today.

🌮 Mexico City Was Built on Top of a Lake

The Aztec capital Tenochtitlan was an island city in Lake Texcoco. When the Spanish conquered it in 1521, they drained the lake and built Mexico City on top. The city is now sinking at a rate of up to 50 cm per year in some areas because groundwater extraction is compressing the lakebed clay beneath it. Many buildings visibly tilt. The Palacio de Bellas Artes has sunk over 3 meters since its construction. The sinking also makes earthquakes more destructive, as the soft lakebed amplifies seismic waves.