Reynosa and Matamoros continue to anchor Tamaulipas’ economy, each showing low unemployment and heavy reliance on manufacturing, according to the latest labor survey from Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography, or INEGI.
Reynosa has a labor force of 420,000 people, with a 3.6% unemployment rate and nearly one in four jobs in manufacturing.
Matamoros has 380,000 people in the labor force, with a 3.4% unemployment rate, 24% of jobs in manufacturing, and steady growth in transportation, logistics, and trade.
Both cities report informal employment rates of nearly 45%, meaning that nearly half of workers hold jobs, but without benefits such as health insurance or retirement plans, and operate outside the formal labor market.
Photo Credit | Naxiely Lopez-Puente
Employment and unemployment statewide
Across Tamaulipas, the workforce reached 1.7 million people in the second quarter of 2025.
Of that number, 1.6 million had jobs and 63,000 were unemployed, a rate of 3.7%.
Underemployment — people who want or need more hours — was 9.5%, an improvement from 11.0% in the same period last year.
Informal work statewide
INEGI reported that 46.4% of employed residents, or about 768,000 people, are in informal jobs, meaning work without benefits or legal protections.
About a quarter of them, 24.7%, work in the informal sector, mainly running or working in small businesses.
The numbers show that while Tamaulipas is adding jobs, many do not come with the protections or stability of formal employment.
Job sectors and hours
Most jobs are in services such as retail, transportation, and other activities, which account for 65.3% of employment. Industry makes up 27.6%, led by manufacturing at 19.3%. Agriculture only accounts for 4.8%.
Workweeks are long for many.
About half of workers reported putting in 35 to 48 hours a week, while one in five said they work more than 48 hours.
