A Nation’s Numbers: The Scale Of Change
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic’s economic impact, Mexico had 55.7 million people living in poverty. By 2022, that number had fallen to 46.8 million, a drop of 8.9 million people.
In percentage terms, poverty declined from 43.9% of the population in 2020 to 36.3% in 2022. Among those remaining in poverty in 2022, 37.7 million were in “moderate poverty,” while 9.1 million were experiencing “extreme poverty.”
Understanding What Poverty Means In These Figures
Mexico’s poverty measurement goes far beyond simple income levels. The National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL) applies a multidimensional approach, examining not just how much money households earn but also whether they face critical shortages in other areas of life.
These include access to health care, education, social security, adequate housing, sufficient food, and basic household services. This broader perspective provides a clearer picture of well-being and highlights where people remain vulnerable, even if their incomes rise above the poverty line.
Some highlights:
- In 2022, 39.1% of people lacked access to health services, much higher than previous years.
- Over 50% did not have access to social security in 2022.
- Nearly one in five people (18.2%) had insufficient access to nutritious, high-quality food.
So while income-based poverty has decreased, many social deprivations persist—and in some cases, have worsened.
What Helped: Policies, Wages, And Resilience
What exactly has driven this decline in poverty?
- Stronger Social Protection: The government has used social welfare, cash-transfer programs, and support for vulnerable populations as tools. These have provided buffers during the worst economic shocks.
- Increase In The Minimum Wage: Between 2018 and 2022, the minimum wage rose substantially, giving many low-wage workers more purchasing power and directly reducing monetary poverty.
- Economic Rebound After The Pandemic: After the sharp contraction in 2020, the economy began recovering, enabling more jobs and greater fiscal room for social programs.
- Multidimensional Measurement And Policy Focus: Because Mexico measures poverty not just by income but by multiple social rights, gaps in education, health, housing, and more become visible. This allows for better-targeted intervention, even if it also reveals where policies still fall short.
Human-Scale Glimpses: Lives Behind The Statistics
Consider this scene: a single mother in a rural village whose income from seasonal work increased thanks to a higher minimum wage. She no longer needs to choose between buying medicine or sending her child to school. Yet, she still must travel long distances to reach the nearest clinic, and medication remains prohibitively expensive.
Think also of elderly people in urban outskirts, receiving pension cash-transfers that let them pay rent and buy staples without depending on younger family members. But when public health insurance changes leave them without coverage for some treatments, they feel the cost in fear and out-of-pocket expenses.
These glimpses remind us that while income poverty is falling, social vulnerabilities remain very real.
The Persistent Gaps: What Progress Still Doesn’t Mean
Optimism is warranted—but sober clarity is needed.
- Health Care Access Has Worsened: 39.1% of people lacked health services in 2022 compared to 16.2% in 2018.
- Extreme Poverty Is Still Stubborn: The 9.1 million people in extreme poverty in 2022 is higher than the 8.7 million in 2018.
- Vulnerability Remains Widespread: Many are just above the poverty line but still live in precarious conditions. Almost 30% of the population was considered “vulnerable” in 2022.
- Regional And Structural Inequalities Endure: Rural areas and indigenous communities often face lower access to food, education, and housing compared to urban areas.
Why The Fourth Point Matters Most
The multidimensional measurement of poverty reveals the deepest challenge: while incomes are rising, many social rights deprivations remain—and in some cases, worsen.
Lifting someone out of income poverty is only part of dignity. Without reliable health care, education, and housing, households remain vulnerable. When health access declines, income gains can vanish overnight due to medical costs or emergencies.
This is why Mexico’s progress must be paired with stronger efforts to guarantee these rights and make gains sustainable.
Looking Forward: Where To Go From Here
To keep momentum, Mexico may need to:
- Strengthen health care reform to ensure genuine, effective coverage.
- Target extreme poverty more precisely, especially in rural and indigenous regions.
- Sustain minimum wage growth and ensure it keeps pace with inflation.
- Expand social security coverage and ensure housing and basic services are accessible.
- Maintain transparent, credible measurement of poverty through CONEVAL or its successor to guide evidence-based policymaking.
Conclusion: Hope, Progress, And The Work Ahead
Mexico’s reduction of nearly 9 million people living in poverty between 2020 and 2022 is a powerful sign of resilience. It is a story of policy, perseverance, and the courage of millions of households.
But this is a starting point, not a finish line. If Mexico can close the gap between income progress and social rights access, it can create lasting change—where fewer people just survive and more people truly thrive.
