Education in Cancún, Mexico: official figures
In the 2020 census 1.9% of residents of Cancún (Benito Juárez municipality) aged 15 and over could not read or write, 30th lowest of 107 Mexican cities on this site (national: 4.7%); in 2010 the share was 2.8%.
How many adults in Cancún have not finished secondary school?
20.2% of people aged 15 and over in Cancún (Benito Juárez municipality) had not completed basic education (secondary school) in 2020, 24th lowest of 107 Mexican cities on this site; that was down 9.1 points since 2010 (national: 29.6%).
Source: Consejo Nacional de Evaluación de la Política de Desarrollo Social (CONEVAL) · saved copyHow many children in Cancún are not in school?
7.1% of children aged 6 to 14 in Cancún (Benito Juárez municipality) were not attending school at the time of the 2020 census, 17th highest of 107 Mexican cities on this site (national: 6.1%; 3.6% in Cancún (Benito Juárez municipality) in 2015).
Source: Consejo Nacional de Evaluación de la Política de Desarrollo Social (CONEVAL) · saved copyHow has schooling in Cancún changed since 2015?
The 2015 Intercensal Survey found 25.4% of people aged 15 and over in Cancún (Benito Juárez municipality) without complete basic education and 2.3% unable to read or write, compared with 20.2% and 1.9% in the 2020 census.
Source: Consejo Nacional de Evaluación de la Política de Desarrollo Social (CONEVAL) · saved copyWhat is the educational lag in Cancún?
CONEVAL counted 13.5% of people in Cancún (Benito Juárez municipality), 114,880 in all, as having educational lag in 2020, 52nd highest of 107 Mexican cities on this site; the rate was 15.8% in 2010 (all municipalities combined, 2020: 16.3%).
Source: Consejo Nacional de Evaluación de la Política de Desarrollo Social (CONEVAL) · saved copyHow many people work in education in Cancún?
The 2024 Economic Census counted 330 education service establishments in Cancún (Benito Juárez municipality) employing 11,569 people in 2023, 5.6% of all employment it recorded there (national: 2.8%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI) · saved copyHow Cancún compares with other cities in Mexico
Residents 15 and over who cannot read or write (2020)
Cancún ranks 78 of 107, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents 15 and over who cannot read or write |
|---|---|---|
| 75 | Puerto Vallarta | 2.0% |
| 76 | Querétaro | 1.9% |
| 77 | Mazatlán | 1.9% |
| 78 | Cancún | 1.9% |
| 79 | Delicias | 1.9% |
| 80 | Reynosa-Río Bravo | 1.8% |
| 81 | Cuauhtemoc | 1.8% |
Residents 15 and over without complete basic education (2020)
Cancún ranks 84 of 107, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents 15 and over without complete basic education |
|---|---|---|
| 81 | Mexicali | 21.4% |
| 82 | Orizaba | 20.7% |
| 83 | Aguascalientes | 20.3% |
| 84 | Cancún | 20.2% |
| 85 | Toluca | 20.2% |
| 86 | La Paz | 19.8% |
| 87 | Mérida | 19.3% |
Children aged 6-14 not attending school (2020)
Cancún ranks 17 of 107, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children aged 6-14 not attending school |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Cuauhtemoc | 7.5% |
| 15 | Irapuato | 7.4% |
| 16 | Uruapan | 7.2% |
| 17 | Cancún | 7.1% |
| 18 | Reynosa-Río Bravo | 7.0% |
| 19 | Tepatitlán De Morelos | 7.0% |
| 20 | Nuevo Laredo | 6.9% |
Educational lag (CONEVAL deprivation) (2020)
Cancún ranks 52 of 107, highest first.
| Rank | City | Educational lag (CONEVAL deprivation) |
|---|---|---|
| 49 | Puerto Vallarta | 13.6% |
| 50 | Celaya | 13.5% |
| 51 | Xalapa | 13.5% |
| 52 | Cancún | 13.5% |
| 53 | Tuxtla Gutiérrez | 13.4% |
| 54 | Matamoros | 13.4% |
| 55 | Culiacán Rosales | 13.1% |
More on Cancún: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in Mexico
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI): Censos Económicos 2024 (reference year 2023), SAIC query: economic units and persons employed in manufacturing, retail, education services, health services and accommodation and food by municipality (request body saved as saic-ce2024-sectors-2023.request.json), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fea3ec2053c9…)
- Consejo Nacional de Evaluación de la Política de Desarrollo Social (CONEVAL): Índice de Rezago Social 2000-2020 by state and municipality: total population and census indicators of schooling, health coverage and housing (from the 2010 and 2020 Population and Housing Censuses and the 2015 Intercensal Survey), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9191f6c16ec2…)
- Consejo Nacional de Evaluación de la Política de Desarrollo Social (CONEVAL): Poverty measurement by municipality 2010-2020: concentrated poverty indicators (Concentrado_indicadores_de_pobreza_2020.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 644d19a9ff6d…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.