The commune is the site of a diary industry[5] and the town of Máfil a local centre of commerce and services such as basic education and a community health center.

[9] The main natural resources of Máfil are the forest and their timber, the gold of Madre de Dios and coal in Pupunahue and Millahuillín.

[20] As a commune, Máfil is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years.

the alcalde is Claudio Sepúlveda Miranda r.[1] Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Máfil is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Marcos Ilabaca (PS), Gastón von Mühlenbrock (UDI), Bernardo Berger (ind-RN), Patricio Rosas (ind-CS) and Ana María Bravo (PS) as part of the 24th electoral district (Los Ríos Region).

The commune is represented in the Senate during the 2022–2030 period by Alfonso de Urresti (PS), Iván Flores (PDC) and María José Gatica (RN) as part of the 12th senatorial constituency (Los Ríos Region).