Cancun's 2026 population is now estimated at 1,094,413. In 1990, the population of Cancun was 167,730. Cancun has grown by 37,308 in the last year, which represents a 3.53% annual change. These population values and projections come from Mexico city census series 1990-2020 via CityPopulation official attribution, INEGI ITER direct locality census extracts (2000, 2005, 2010, 2020) and World Population Review Internal Projections .
Cancun is a city in Mexico that is located along the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The city is located along the Caribbean Sea, and it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The last official population count was 628,306 even though it was only founded in 1970. The population as of 2017 is estimated to be around 725,000.
The city’s total area is quite large at 1,978.75 square kilometers (764 square miles). This area, in combination with the size of the total population, gives us a population density of approximately 380 people living per square kilometer.
Over 92% of the city’s residents speak Spanish, while a small percentage use regional dialects. English is also commonly spoken since there are so many American tourists who travel to Cancun.
Eighty-nine percent of residents are Catholic, while the remaining residents are Protestant or follow another religion.
The 1921 census was the last time the Mexican government conducted a tally that included a comprehensive racial classification.
The city of Cancun has seen extensive growth throughout the years. In 1990, the population exceeded 160,000. Just five years later, this jumped by over 77% as the city had almost 300,000 residents. In 2000, the population grew significantly again as the city grew closer to the 400,000-resident milestone. In 2005, the city had a population of over half a million. Between 2005 and 2010, the population growth slowed a bit but still rose by nearly 20%. Based on the city’s history of population growth and its thriving tourism industry, it is safe to assume that Cancun will continue to attract new residents well into the future.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | 9,020,812 | 0.33% |
| Tijuana | 2,207,854 | 3.36% |
| Leon | 1,827,805 | 2.46% |
| Ecatepec de Morelos | 1,636,825 | -0.07% |
| Juarez | 1,621,517 | 1.29% |
| Puebla | 1,611,012 | 0.73% |
| Zapopan | 1,332,076 | 0.96% |
| Guadalajara | 1,323,777 | -0.76% |
| Monterrey | 1,147,439 | 0.07% |
| Cancun | 1,094,413 | 3.53% |
| Nezahualcoyotl | 1,053,975 | -0.29% |
| Merida | 1,020,794 | 1.72% |
| Chihuahua | 1,003,587 | 1.35% |
| Saltillo | 973,048 | 1.99% |
| Aguascalientes | 961,885 | 1.81% |
| Hermosillo | 952,790 | 1.81% |
| San Luis Potosi | 929,701 | 1.59% |
| Culiacan | 900,192 | 1.81% |
| Queretaro | 899,442 | 2.08% |
| Mexicali | 871,857 | 0.34% |