Of the state’s 798,447 inhabitants in 2020, more than 300,000 were born elsewhere in Mexico and over 9,000 abroad, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).
While Baja California Sur is the country’s 31st most populous state, nearly 4 in 10 residents were born outside it. Only Quintana Roo has a higher proportion, with 50.9% of its population originating from other states.
INEGI figures show 470,255 residents were born locally. Another 313,283 came from other Mexican states. From abroad, 5,939 were born in the United States, 3,425 in other countries, and 5,545 did not specify their birthplace.
At the municipal level, Los Cabos has the highest concentration of non-native residents, with 54.5% of its population born elsewhere. Mulegé follows with 33%, La Paz with 27.3%, and Comondú and Loreto each with 23%.
The influx of newcomers has fueled the region’s growth for decades. In absolute terms, the gap between native-born residents and those arriving from other states totals nearly 157,000 people, underscoring the scale of internal migration.
Although most newcomers come from within Mexico, 9,364 residents reported being born abroad, mainly in the United States, with smaller numbers from elsewhere in the Americas and Africa.
The 2020 Population and Housing Census remains the most recent snapshot of Baja California Sur’s demographics, highlighting both growth and the diverse origins of its population. The upcoming census will reveal how those numbers have changed.
