How did welfare change in Mexico during the post WWII industrialization process and the resulting high concentration of population around a few metropolitan areas? Employing anthropometric methodology, I use the Mexican Family Life Survey 2002 (MxFLS-1) to present evidence on the biological standard of living during the period 1953-82. Results show a national increase in both female and male adult physical stature. Inter-regional differences, however, were not homogeneously reduced and the observed initial polarization was not eliminated. After controlling for proxies of socioeconomic status like education attainment and individuals’ father’s first job, it is found that population density at State level is negatively correlated with both women and men height. This result suggests that part of the economic and social benefits of high concentration of economic activity around metropolitan areas were overcompensated by negative effects of congestion.