Construction of the Urban Sustainability Index for Cities in Mexico and Its Application in the Municipalities of Pachuca and Mineral De La Reforma, 2020

An urban sustainability index was constructed using the principal components method and census data disaggregated by basic statistical geographic area (BSGA) for the municipalities of Pachuca and Mineral de la Reforma in Hidalgo State, Mexico, in 2020. The variables were selected using a multiple regression method. The index allows knowing the degree of urban sustainability according to population density, services, and housing characteristics. As a result, it was obtained that 34% of the 364 BSGA are in the range of low and very low urban sustainability, 27% have moderate sustainability, and 38% present high and very high degrees of sustainability. In conclusion, this urban sustainability index could be used to design public policy criteria to improve the population's living conditions and replicated in any city in Mexico. However, it is necessary to incorporate new variables for future research.