By contrast, Mérida, the capital of the state of Yucatán and home for many American expats, reported a homicide rate of only 2.2 per 100,000 people. Aguascalientes, a central Mexico highland city of over 1 million, had a homicide rate of 4.2.

To put the homicide rates in Mexico in perspective, the murder rate in Washington D.C. is five times higher than the U.S. average. Oakland, California’s homicide rate is 19.5 per 100,000 people, almost equal to Mexico’s country average.

The U.S. Department of State also makes the point that crime in Mexico varies widely by location. “Millions of Americans safely live, work and take vacations in Mexico every year,” it said. “However, organized criminal groups continue to produce significant levels of violence throughout parts of the country. The northern half of Mexico is considered a higher threat area, primarily due to organized criminal conflicts and competition for drug trafficking routes to the U.S.”

The State Department also said recent statistics show violence is on the rise in central and southern Mexican states, particularly in Guerrero, Michoacán and the State of Mexico.

We asked personal security expert Juan Garcia for his take on how safe Mexico is for expats. Garcia is the owner and chief instructor of High Risk Security Services, a New Jersey-based firm that specializes in personal security training.

“There are certain areas of Mexico that are more dangerous, just like in the U.S.,” he told us. “If you are selling drugs or working in the human trafficking business, you will find violence. But if you are working for a company, starting a business or if you are a retiree, there are no more security concerns in Mexico than here in the United States. It depends on where you travel or live. Along Mexico’s border with the U.S., crime is high, but Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and other major tourist areas are generally safe. You really have to break down the safety issue not only by country but by specific areas within the country.”

Garcia said expats worry most about highway and ATM robbery and home invasions, not homicide.

“Expat home invasions happen because criminals know that they have money and nice things in their homes, probably jewelry and extra cash and credit cards,” he said. “ATM robbery also is still a common trend, particularly in Latin America.”

He believes that good personal security planning starts with a comprehensive checklist.