The State of Mexico has established itself as one of the country’s and the region’s leading economic and industrial powers, with a decisive role in transportation equipment, becoming a hub for integration with international value chains.
In context, the state was positioned as the second economy in the country , contributing 9% of the national gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, only behind Mexico City (15.3%), in addition, globally it occupies place 59, with an estimated value of 162 thousand 718 million dollars (mdd), according to economic indicators of the Government of the State of Mexico, published by the Ministry of Economic Development (Sedeco) on its official website.
Its productive structure is marked by the predominance of the tertiary sector , which represents 66.8% of the state’s GDP , although it is in the manufacturing industry where it concentrates its greatest dynamism.
Labor market and productive dynamism
The Mexican labor market exceeds 8.4 million people , of which 1.9 million are formally employed by the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) , equivalent to 8.8% of the national total.
Between August 2024 and August 2025 alone, 102,249 new formal jobs were created , the highest number in the country, according to the most recent data. Edomex is home to more than 2,800 companies in strategic sectors such as automotive, chemicals, plastics, and food.
Furthermore, the State concentrates more than 817 thousand economic units , of which 99.7% are micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) , confirming its role as a breeding ground for businesses and an essential link in supply chains.
Foreign investment and trade
In terms of investment, the State of Mexico ranked second nationwide in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) between 2023 and 2025, with an inflow of $5.343 billion , equivalent to 7.2% of the national total. More than half of this investment went to the manufacturing industry , with the United States being the main source of capital.
In recent years, the State of Mexico has maintained a steady flow of FDI . In 2023 alone, it attracted just over $1.9 billion, a figure that increased to more than $2.6 billion in 2024.
During the first half of 2025, the state has already accumulated more than $2.2 billion, consolidating its position as one of the main destinations for foreign capital in the country. Overall, the cumulative total from 2018 to the second quarter of 2025 exceeds $17.9 billion, reflecting the state’s strategic role in attracting investment to the manufacturing industry and sectors linked to trade and services.
In parallel, state foreign trade reached a value of 68.24 billion dollars in 2024 , with exports of 25.677 billion dollars and imports of 42.347 billion dollars , with vehicles, auto parts and polymers standing out as the main export products.
The Metropolitan Automotive Cluster: anchor of development
With a presence in 125 municipalities and its epicenter in Tlalnepantla, Cuautitlán Izcalli, Toluca, Tultitlán, and Ecatepec , the Metropolitan Automotive Cluster (CLAUT) has a workforce of 7.8 million people and an export value of more than $5.908 billion.
According to Elisa Crespo , executive president of CLAUT, the challenges for the region lie in the logistics and security of transporting goods, as well as the reconfiguration of supply chains in the face of tariffs and the replacement of parts from Asia.
“Companies are redirecting their strategies to continue investing in Mexico and replacing components from the country, mainly from China,” he noted.
He highlighted the process of modernization in new production lines , focused on more efficient electric, hybrid, and internal combustion vehicles , which requires innovation and cost reduction to maintain competitiveness.
With productive linkage strategies and tax benefits for new investments, the state seeks to consolidate itself as a hub for industrial and logistics development in the center of the country, according to data from Sedeco.
Leverage its strategic location, extensive workforce, and infrastructure to attract investment projects and remain a driving force in the integration of global value chains.
(Main image source: Google Maps)
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