Its largest city and municipal seat is Heroica Tacámbaro de Codallos.

After the war of independence, Tacámbaro's haciendas and ranchos were burned down and the town was left in ruins.

In 1828, it was declared a villa by Governor José Salgado; three years later, the municipality was formed as a consequence of a new territorial law.

In late 1919, during the Mexican Revolution, Tacámbaro briefly served as the state capital.

The municipality has some 200 individual communities, of which the largest is Heroica Tacámbaro de Codallos with a population of 25,665.