Hidalgo is a state in central Mexico divided into 84 municipalities.[1] According to the 2020 Mexican census, Hidalgo is the 16th most populous state with inhabitants and the 26th largest by land area spanning 20813km2.
Municipalities in Hidalgo are administratively autonomous of the state according to the 115th article of the 1917 Constitution of Mexico.[2] Every three years, citizens elect a municipal president (Spanish: presidente municipal) by a plurality voting system who heads a concurrently elected municipal council (ayuntamiento) responsible for providing all the public services for their constituents. The municipal council consists of a variable number of trustees and councillors (regidores y síndicos).[3] Municipalities are responsible for public services (such as water and sewerage), street lighting, public safety, traffic, and the maintenance of public parks, gardens and cemeteries.[4] They may also assist the state and federal governments in education, emergency fire and medical services, environmental protection and maintenance of monuments and historical landmarks. Since 1984, they have had the power to collect property taxes and user fees, although more funds are obtained from the state and federal governments than from their own income.
The largest municipality by population in Hidalgo is Pachuca, with 314,331 residents, and the smallest is Eloxochitlán with 2,593 residents. The largest municipality by area in Hidalgo is Zimapán, which spans 824.2km2, while Tlahuelilpan is the smallest at 28.2km2. The first municipality to incorporate was Huichapan on, and the newest municipality is Progreso de Obregón which incorporated .