People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Mexico
Mexico: People not using safely managed sanitation facilities was 48.75 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Mexico, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Mexico stood at 48.75 million people.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and down 28.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Mexico peaked at 83.34 million people in 2002 and was at its lowest, 48.20 million people, in 2022.
Mexico ranks 13th of 150 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Mexico, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 81.13 million people | — |
| 2001 | 82.25 million people | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 83.34 million people | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 82.50 million people | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 81.57 million people | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 80.54 million people | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 79.45 million people | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 78.32 million people | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 77.15 million people | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 75.89 million people | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 74.53 million people | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 73.07 million people | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 71.47 million people | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 69.75 million people | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 67.87 million people | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 65.81 million people | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 63.60 million people | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 61.28 million people | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 58.89 million people | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 56.42 million people | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 53.78 million people | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 51.00 million people | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 48.20 million people | -5.5% |
| 2023 | 48.38 million people | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 48.75 million people | +0.8% |
Mexico compared with similar countries
- Mexico's 48.75 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.56 million people, 10.7× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Mexico's 48.75 million people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 4.06 million people, 12.0× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 80.21 million people | 75.89 million people | 83.34 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.27 million people | 56.42 million people | 74.53 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.02 million people | 48.20 million people | 53.78 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
More reference data data for Mexico
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 16.66 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 32.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 32.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 13.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 84.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 157.18 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 9.55 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Mexico?
- People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Mexico was 48.75 million people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 83.34 million people in 2002.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.20 million people in 2022.
- How does Mexico rank for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities?
- Mexico ranks 13th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mexico data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People not using safely managed sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People not using safely managed sanitation services might practice open defecation, use unimproved sanitation facilities, or use improved facilities that do not safely manage human waste.