Nayarit regions show considerable heterogeneity in relation to its potential for socioeconomic development. Identifying the potential of each is essential to improve the effectiveness of economic policy actions aimed at them. This paper exposes how this task can be accomplished by an index of socioeconomic development potential that is built with five indicators. Central Region was determined with high development potential; South, South Coast and North Coast regions were classified with medium potential. Factors that decrease socioeconomic potential among regions were: sufficiency coefficient of road network and qualification grade of population.