[3] In the 18th and 19th centuries, the main economic activities were agriculture, husbandry and salt harvesting.

On 12 February 1862, General Felipe Berriozábal, then-governor of the state, signed an order that declared Coacalco an independent municipality, ending a 343-year-old dependency of Ecatepec.

Since the 2000s, the municipality has become one of the principal commercial districts of the northern part of the metropolitan area.

[2] In the 2005 Mexican Human Development Index (HDI) statistic, Coacalco was rated as the tenth best place to live in the country.

[7] In 2010, the geographical subdivisions and their respective population were:[8] The sister cities of Coacalco de Berriozábal are: Notable residents include: