Settlement classification in Mexico


Mexico's states classify their settlements in a variety of fashions:

[Aguascalientes]

Under Article 106 of the Municipal Law of the State of Aguascalientes, the state defines its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : Census population in excess of 15,000 inhabitants.
  • Villa : Census population of over 1,000.
  • Poblado : Census population of between 500 and 1,000.
  • Ranchería : All other settlements.

[Baja California Sur]

According to Article 10 of the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Baja California Sur, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : A settlement with more than 12,000 inhabitants, or a municipal seat irrespective of population.
  • Villa : More than 5,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : More than 2,000 inhabitants.
  • Congregación : More than 200 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : Fewer than 200 inhabitants.

[Campeche]

According to Article 12 of the Organic Municipalities Law of the State of Campeche, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : A settlement with at least 5,000 inhabitants.
  • Villa : At least 2,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : At least 1,000 inhabitants.
  • Congregación : Fewer than 1,000 inhabitants, but with facilities for a rural school and municipal offices.

[Chiapas]

According to the Law on the Political and Administrative Classification of Population Centres in the State of Chiapas, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudades : At least 10,000 inhabitants, and adequate urban infrastructure.
  • Villas : At least 5,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblos : At least 2,500 inhabitants
  • Rancherías, colonias, parajes, cantones and riberas : At least 300 inhabitants.
To serve as a municipal seat, a settlement must be either a city or town. The granting of all settlement statuses is a function of the State Congress.

Chihuahua">Chihuahua (state)">Chihuahua

According to Article 13 bis of the Municipal Code of the State of Chihuahua, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : More than 8000 inhabitants.
  • Poblado : More than 2500 inhabitants.
  • Comunidad : More than 500 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : More than 100 inhabitants.

[Coahuila]

According to Article 22 of the Municipal Code for the State of Coahuila de Zaragoza, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : More than 20,000 inhabitants, or a municipal seat irrespective of size.
  • Villa : More than 7,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : More than 2,500 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : More than 1,000 inhabitants.
  • Caserío : Up to 1,000 inhabitants, in rural areas.

[Colima]

According to Article 13 of the Organic Law of Free Municipalities of the State of Colima, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : Census population in excess of 10,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : Census population in excess of 2,000 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : All other settlements.

[Durango]

According to Article 6 of the Organic Law of the Free Municipality of the State of Durango, the state categorises its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : At least 6,000 inhabitants.
  • Villa : At least 4,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : At least 1,000 inhabitants.

[Guanajuato]

According to Article 23 of the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Guanajuato, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : At least 20,000 inhabitants.
  • Villa : At least 7,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : At least 2,500 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : At least 500 inhabitants.
  • Caserío : Less than 500 inhabitants, in rural areas.

[Guerrero]

According to Article 1 of the Law number 59, territorial division of the state, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : At least 5,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : between 500 and 4,999 inhabitants.
  • Cuadrilla : between 100 and 499 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : between 50 and 99 inhabitants.

Hidalgo">Hidalgo (state)">Hidalgo

According to Article 20 of the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Hidalgo, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : More than 25,000 inhabitants.
  • Villa : More than 10,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : More than 5,000 inhabitants.
  • Comunidad or congregación : More than 500 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : Fewer than 500 inhabitants.

[Jalisco]

According to Chapter II of the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Jalisco, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : At least 50,000 inhabitants.
  • Delegación municipal : At least 2,500 inhabitants.
  • Poblado : All others.

[Estado de México]

According to Article 9 of the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Mexico, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : More than 15,000 inhabitants.
  • Villa : Between 5,000 and 15,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : Between 1,000 and 5,000 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : Between 500 and 1,000 inhabitants.
  • Caserío : Fewer than 500 inhabitants.
Elevating a settlement to a city status is a function of the State Congress. The lower statuses can be granted by municipal authorities.

[Michoacán]

According to Article 1 of the Organic Law of the Territorial Division of Michoacán, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Distrito : Number of inhabitants not specified.
  • Municipalidad : Number of inhabitants not specified.
  • Tenencia : Number of inhabitants not specified.
  • Otras : Hacienda, Rancho, Ranchería, and Colonia.

[Morelos]

According to Article 23 of the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Morelos, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : More than 25,000 inhabitants, and appropriate urban infrastructure.
  • Villa : More than 15,000 inhabitants, and appropriate urban infrastructure.
  • Pueblo : More than 7,000 inhabitants, and appropriate urban infrastructure.
  • Ranchería : More than 3,000 inhabitants, and appropriate urban infrastructure.
  • Congregación : Fewer than 3,000 inhabitants.

[Nayarit]

Under the Law of Political Categories for Settlements in the State of Nayarit, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : At least 3,000 inhabitants, of whom 75% are active in commerce, industry, or professions or trades.
  • Villa : At least 1,500 inhabitants, of whom 50% are active in commerce, industry, or professions or trades.
  • Pueblo : At least 700 inhabitants, of whom at least 10% are active in commerce, industry, or professions or trades.
  • Congregación : At least 300 inhabitants
  • Ranchería : At least 90 inhabitants.
  • Hacienda : Number irrelevant, homes tied to an estate.
  • Rancho : All others.

[Oaxaca]

According to the Municipal Law of the State of Oaxaca, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : at least 20,000 inhabitants.
  • Villa : at least 18,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : at least 15,000 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : at least 10,000 inhabitants.
  • Congregación : a permanent rural or ejidal settlement of at least 5,000 people engaged in agriculture.
  • Nucleo rural : at least 500 inhabitants.

[Puebla]

According to the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Puebla, the state classifies its settlements in terms of their populations and their provision of certain basic public services :
  • Ciudad : Census population of at least 20,000.
  • Villa : Census population of at least 10,000.
  • Pueblo : Census population of at least 2,500.
  • Ranchería : Census population of at least 500, and at least 5 km from the nearest city, town or village.
  • Comunidad : Up to 500 inhabitants, and at least 5 km from the nearest larger settlement.
  • Barrio : Collection of houses structured as blocks that may be part of a town, village, hamlet, or community.
  • Sección : Collection of blocks, neighbourhoods, colonias, communities, or hamlets that individually or collectively total more than 1,000 inhabitants.
Under Art. 7 of the law, municipal seats may not have a classification lower than that of a town.

[Querétaro]

According to the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Querétaro, the state classifies its settlements in terms of their populations and their provision of certain basic public services :
  • Ciudad : Census population of at least 30,000, or a municipal seat irrespective of size.
  • Villa : Census population of at least 7,000.
  • Pueblo : Census population of at least 2,000.
  • Ranchería : Census population of at least 500.
  • Caserío : Rural settlement of up to 500 inhabitants.

[Quintana Roo]

According to the Organic Municipal Law of the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo, the state classifies its settlements as follows:Ciudad : more than 10,000 inhabitants, or a municipal seat irrespective of size.Villa : more than 5,000 inhabitants.Pueblo : more than 2,000 inhabitants.Ranchería : more than 500 inhabitants.Congregación : fewer than 500 inhabitants

[San Luis Potosí]

According to article 9 of the Organic Municipal Law of the Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí, the state classifies its settlements as follows:Ciudad : more than 20,000 inhabitants, wherein certain medical and police services are available and infrastructure is in place.Villa : more than 6,500 inhabitants, wherein certain medical and police services are available and infrastructure is in place.Pueblo : more than 1,000 inhabitants, with certain basic services.Ranchería : fewer than 1,000 inhabitants.

[Sinaloa]

According to article 12 of the Organic Municipal Law of the Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa, the state classifies its settlements as follows:Ciudad : more than 25,000 inhabitants, or a municipal seat regardless of population.Villa : more than 5,000 inhabitants, or a sindicate seat regardless of population.Pueblo : more than 2,000 inhabitants, or a comissarate seat regardless of population.Rancho : fewer than 2,000 inhabitants.

[Tabasco]

According to article 9 of the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Tabasco, the state classifies its settlements in terms of their population and their provision of certain basic public services:
  • Ciudad : At least 7,500 inhabitants.
  • Villa : At least 5,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : At least 2,500 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : At least 1,000 inhabitants.

[Tamaulipas]

According to Article 13 of the Municipal Code for the State of Tamaulipas, the state classifies its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : At least 25,000 inhabitants.
  • Villa : At least 5,000 inhabitants.
  • Congregación o Poblado : At least 1,000 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : up to 1,000 inhabitants.

[Tlaxcala]

According to the Organic Municipal Law of the State of Tlaxcala, the state classifies its settlements in terms of their population and their provision of certain basic public services:
  • Ciudad : At least 20,000 inhabitants.
  • Villa : At least 10,000 inhabitants.
  • Pueblo : At least 1,000 inhabitants.
  • Colonia : At least 300 inhabitants.
  • Ranchería : Fewer than 300 inhabitants.

[Veracruz]

According to Article 11 of the Organic Law of the Free Municipality of the State of Veracruz, the state categorises its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : 30000+ inhabitants
  • Villa : 10000+
  • Pueblo : 5000+
  • Ranchería : 500–2000
  • Caserío : up to 500

Yucatán">Yucatán (state)">Yucatán

According to Article 12 of the Government Law of the Municipality of the State of Yucatán, the state categorises its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : 15,000+ inhabitants
  • Villa : 8,000+
  • Pueblo : 3,000+
  • Comisaría : 500+
  • Subcomisaría : up to 500

[Zacatecas]

According to Article 25 of the Organic Law of the Municipality of the State of Zacatecas, the state categorises its settlements as follows:
  • Ciudad : 15,000+ inhabitants
  • Pueblo : 2,500+
  • Localidad rural : up to 500