Socioeconomics
The municipality as a whole is ranked has having a medium level of socioeconomic marginalization. Of the 260 active communities, most are designated as having a medium or high level of marginalization. However, since the vast majority of the municipality’s population lives in the town of San Juan de los Lagos proper, which has a low level of marginalization, the ameliorates the situation. As of 2010, there were 15,088 housing units in the municipality. Most housing is privately owned by its occupants, mostly with a poured concrete foundation and with walks of cinderblock, bricks or adobe. Roofs are mostly of poured concrete or vaults made with bricks. Basic services such as running water and electricity are available in about 90% of homes.
Agriculture takes up about half of the municipality’s territory, with most farmland privately owned. It employs about 22% of the working population. Principle crops are corn, beans and sorghum, with livestock consisting of meat and dairy cattle, oxen, pigs, sheep, goats and domestic fowl. There is also some fish farming producing catfish, carp and mojarra for local consumption. There is some exploitation of mesquite trees for wood.
Mining and industry employ about 24% of the working population. Mining mostly consists of sandstone production for construction with some deposits of marble and other construction materials. Most industry consists of food processing, much of which is destined for sale to the tourist market. This is particularly true for the production and sale of cajeta or dulce de leche. This is a common traditional product as the Los Altos region is the fifth highest producer of dairy products in the country. Other products include ice, construction materials, ironworking, textiles and furniture.
Handcrafts include embroidered clothing for women as well as the weaving of wool items such as sarapes, rebozos, quezquémetls and other textiles, herbal medicines, leather items such as bags, belts and wallets are made as well as ceramics and carved stone items. Clothing for charros can be found here from heavily embroidered jackets and pants to embroidered belts called “piteado.” Another common handcraft is religious items for sale to visitors, such as reliquaries, candles, images of the Virgin and rosaries made from the local white stone. Many of the areas handcrafts are sold on the stores and street stalls around the main plaza and basilica. These items are either made locally or brought in from other states in central Mexico.
Just under fifty percent of the working population is dedicated to commerce and services, with most of this related to tourism to the town of San Juan de los Lagos, followed by businesses catering to local, mostly primary, needs. This translates to a population of about 40,000 residents who cater to the needs of about seven million or so pilgrims per year. The town has frequent bus service, and is accessible by expressway. However, this tourism is almost purely domestic. Most English language guidebooks do not even mention San Juan de los Lagos.
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