Los Cabos & La Paz Ranked Among Mexico’s Safest Destinations In New Federal Report

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When booking a vacation to Mexico, safety is almost always the number one concern for international travelers. For years, the U.S. State Department and various international travel advisories have urged tourists to exercise caution when visiting the country. However, painting the entire nation with a single brush ignores the massive regional differences in security.

If you have a trip booked to the Baja California peninsula this winter, you can officially breathe a sigh of relief.

According to a brand-new federal report, Los Cabos and the state capital of La Paz are not just safe for tourists—they are currently ranking among the safest municipalities in all of Mexico. A massive drop in the local perception of insecurity has placed both cities well below the national average, making the southern Baja region a verified safe haven for international travelers.

The ENSU Safety Data Explained

The positive news comes directly from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the Mexican government’s official data and census agency. Every quarter, INEGI releases the National Urban Public Security Survey (ENSU).

Unlike standard police blotters that just count arrest records, the ENSU is a massive, comprehensive survey that measures the actual perception of insecurity among residents. It asks the people who actually live, work, and commute in these cities every single day how safe they feel walking the streets.

The results for the third quarter of 2026 (July through September) are incredibly reassuring for the Baja tourism sector.

Nationally, the average perception of insecurity across Mexico sits at a highly concerning 58.1%. However, the numbers at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula tell a completely different story:

• La Paz: Registered a perceived insecurity rate of just 33.4%.
• Los Cabos: Registered a perceived insecurity rate of just 37.8%.

Because of these low numbers, La Paz is currently ranked as the 13th safest city in the entire country, with Los Cabos close behind in 16th place.

Our Official Travel Safety Index

While federal data focuses on how local residents feel, we know that international tourists experience a totally different side of the destination. When you are sticking to the resorts, marinas, and popular downtown restaurants, you are staying inside a highly protected tourist bubble.

To give our readers a better idea of what to actually expect on the ground, we run our own internal Travel Safety Index. We look at things like tourist police presence, lighting, resort security, and historical crime data affecting foreigners to rank the top destinations out of 100 possible points.

Here is how the two main tourist hubs are currently scoring:

• Cabo San Lucas: 94 / 100
• San Jose del Cabo: 92 / 100

Both towns score incredibly high because the local government and the massive hotel brands know that safety is their biggest selling point. Cabo San Lucas edges out a slightly higher score simply due to the massive concentration of well-lit, heavily patrolled pedestrian zones around the Marina and downtown tourist district.

A Strong Rebound After a Bumpy Spring

The current data is particularly encouraging because it represents a massive, successful rebound by local security forces.

Earlier this year, Los Cabos experienced a brief, highly publicized spike in localized violent events during late May and early June. While these incidents were strictly isolated to local neighborhoods and never impacted the Tourist Corridor or the luxury resorts, they did temporarily spook the local population. In the second quarter of the year, the perception of insecurity in Los Cabos had crept up to nearly 40%.

However, the local government, state police, and federal marine deployments responded aggressively. The third-quarter drop to 37.8% proves that the rapid security adjustments successfully restored public confidence.

What This Means for Your Vacation

If you are packing your bags for a Cabo vacation, this data confirms what frequent Baja travelers already know: the tourist zones are heavily protected and incredibly safe.

The low perception of insecurity means the local workforce—the people driving your Ubers, serving your dinners, and guiding your boat tours—feel safe commuting and living in their city. When the local population feels secure, that stability naturally extends into the hospitality sector.

While travelers should always practice standard, common-sense situational awareness (don’t buy illegal drugs, don’t walk alone on unlit beaches at 3:00 a.m., and keep an eye on your valuables), you do not need to spend your vacation looking over your shoulder. The federal data proves it: Los Cabos and La Paz remain safe, welcoming, and ready for the winter high season.