Thirty five of the sixty four active communities in the municipality or about 54% are considered to have some level of socioeconomic marginalization, with the overall municipality considered to have a medium level of marginalization.

The main economic activity of the municipality is still agriculture, with main crops being basic grains, cacao and coconut.
Livestock is an important part of the local economy and includes cattle, pigs, sheep, horses and domestic fowl.
The area's lakes allow for fishing and aquaculture but it is not a major part of the economy.

The Don Remo tobacco farm and cigar factory was established in 1995 in the town of Tierra Adentro.
The name is in honor of Remo Loaiza San Vicente who was an important tobacco farmer and father of the current owner of the factory, Alfonso Loaiza Garcia.
The current enterprise began with Sumatra tobacco and by 1997 it was cultivating fifty hectares, with a yield of about 1.5 tons per hectares.
The factory covers an area of 550m2 to cure the leaves and produce the cigars.
While this enterprise is relatively new, the growing of tobacco here dates back to the Mayans.
However, the production of tobacco here has been declining due to the difficulty in obtaining supplies, poor crop yield and a declining local market.
There have been recent efforts to support tobacco production in the state as part of its culture along with its cuisine.

There is no major industry in the municipality except for the Mecoacán oil field.
Manufacturing is limited to handcrafts and food processing by small family businesses.
One known food industry here is the production of cured meats such as head cheese and longaniza sausage.
The main local handcraft is the drying and decoration of gourds which were traditionally used for storage and food service, but today are mostly created for tourists.
The gourd, called a jicara, is traditional important as a vessel for chocolate.
Today, it is still traditional to serve a chocolate drink called pozol in these gourds.

The commerce sector of the economy has developed in the last ten years with national chain stores arriving such as Bodega Aurrerá, Super Che, Soriana and Parisina Telas.
Services such as banks, restaurants, auto and pharmacies are mostly for the local populace.
There is one traditional municipal market called Daniel Santos Garcia located in the municipal seat.

State authorities have initiated programs to promote the area as a tourist attraction such as making it part of the Cacao Route, but local authorities have not yet seen results.
However, signage and authorization to create ecotourism centers such as the planned Chontalpa Chica have not yet materialized.

The Pomposú Juliva Wetlands are on the delta of the Mezcalpa River.
There is some ecotourism such as aquatic sports and excursions as well as a swamp crocodile sanctuary.

The Don Remo cigar factory offers tours.

The La Encantado turtle farm is the only one of its kind in Latin America, raising six species of turtle native to the state.
It is located in Reforma Segunda Sección.
It belongs to the Olán García family.
In 2004, the enterprise received the Tabasco State Ecology Prize.
Thirty five of the sixty four active communities in the municipality or about 54% are considered to have some level of socioeconomic marginalization, with the overall municipality considered to have a medium level of marginalization.
The main economic activity of the municipality is still agriculture, with main crops being basic grains, cacao and coconut. Livestock is an important part of the local economy and includes cattle, pigs, sheep, horses and domestic fowl. The area's lakes allow for fishing and aquaculture but it is not a major part of the economy.
The Don Remo tobacco farm and cigar factory was established in 1995 in the town of Tierra Adentro. The name is in honor of Remo Loaiza San Vicente who was an important tobacco farmer and father of the current owner of the factory, Alfonso Loaiza Garcia. The current enterprise began with Sumatra tobacco and by 1997 it was cultivating fifty hectares, with a yield of about 1.5 tons per hectares. The factory covers an area of 550m2 to cure the leaves and produce the cigars. While this enterprise is relatively new, the growing of tobacco here dates back to the Mayans. However, the production of tobacco here has been declining due to the difficulty in obtaining supplies, poor crop yield and a declining local market. There have been recent efforts to support tobacco production in the state as part of its culture along with its cuisine.
There is no major industry in the municipality except for the Mecoacán oil field. Manufacturing is limited to handcrafts and food processing by small family businesses. One known food industry here is the production of cured meats such as head cheese and longaniza sausage. The main local handcraft is the drying and decoration of gourds which were traditionally used for storage and food service, but today are mostly created for tourists. The gourd, called a jicara, is traditional important as a vessel for chocolate. Today, it is still traditional to serve a chocolate drink called pozol in these gourds.
The commerce sector of the economy has developed in the last ten years with national chain stores arriving such as Bodega Aurrerá, Super Che, Soriana and Parisina Telas. Services such as banks, restaurants, auto and pharmacies are mostly for the local populace. There is one traditional municipal market called Daniel Santos Garcia located in the municipal seat.
State authorities have initiated programs to promote the area as a tourist attraction such as making it part of the Cacao Route, but local authorities have not yet seen results. However, signage and authorization to create ecotourism centers such as the planned Chontalpa Chica have not yet materialized.
The Pomposú Juliva Wetlands are on the delta of the Mezcalpa River. There is some ecotourism such as aquatic sports and excursions as well as a swamp crocodile sanctuary.
The Don Remo cigar factory offers tours.
The La Encantado turtle farm is the only one of its kind in Latin America, raising six species of turtle native to the state. It is located in Reforma Segunda Sección. It belongs to the Olán García family. In 2004, the enterprise received the Tabasco State Ecology Prize.
Jalpa de Méndez