Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mexico

Mexico: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 96.5% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
96.5%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
29th
of 83 countries
All-time high
96.5%
in 2018
All-time low
80.2%
in 1980
Years of data
19
1980–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mexico, 1980–2018

0204060801001980199920181980: 80.2 %1990: 85.7 %2000: 90.4 %2002: 90.7 %2004: 91.7 %2005: 92 %2006: 92.1 %2007: 93.5 %2008: 93.6 %2009: 94.1 %2010: 93.8 %2011: 94.3 %2012: 95.3 %2013: 94.7 %2014: 95.6 %2015: 95.4 %2016: 95.9 %2017: 96.1 %2018: 96.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mexico is 96.5%, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mexico peaked at 96.5% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 80.2%, in 1980.

That places Mexico 29th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 80.2% 80.2% 80.2% 1
1990s 85.7% 85.7% 85.7% 1
2000s 92.3% 90.4% 94.1% 8
2010s 95.3% 93.8% 96.5% 9

Countries ranked near Mexico

  1. 26 Chile 97.2% compare
  2. 27 Indonesia 96.8% compare
  3. 28 Malaysia 96.6% compare
  4. 30 Panama 96.3% compare
  5. 31 Kuwait 96.3% compare
  6. 32 Saudi Arabia 96.2% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Mexico

All data for Mexico →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mexico?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mexico was 96.5% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Mexico?
The highest recorded value was 96.5% in 2018.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Mexico?
The lowest recorded value was 80.2% in 1980.
How does Mexico rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Mexico ranks 29th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Mexico?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Mexico data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mexico. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 19 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/mexico/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,220 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the population between age 25 and age 64 who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, ‘literacy’ also encompasses ‘numeracy’, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of literates aged 25-64 years by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.