Where are they coming from and where are they going? Population dynamics of the metropolitan areas of the state of Hidalgo (¿De donde vienen y a donde van? Dinamica poblacional de las zonas metropolitanas del estado de Hidalgo)

The three metropolitan areas of the state of Hidalgo maintain a strong relationship with the Mexico Valley Metropolitan Area and, in the face of accelerated population growth (and consequently in the demand for services), it is essential to elaborate development strategies, not only at state or municipal level but also at regional and metropolitan levels. This paper aims to identify patterns in the attraction potential of metropolitan municipalities in relation to each other based on their population evolution. For this study, gravity models were used from a territorial approach, combining information on the population of the municipalities that make up the metropolitan areas and on the distances between each of them and the rest. It is worth noting that, given the distances and population volumes, it is no longer the central municipalities of the metropolitan areas that have the greatest potential for attracting population and consequently development, but some of the outer municipalities.