Abstract: Today there is a growing threat to Russia's national security both from the side of certain states and blocks (sanctions, trade wars, NATO placing their forces close to Russian borders, etc.) and traditional threats such as illegal migraton from other countries, cross-border crime, etc.). Slow pace of economic growth, social stratification and other factors have a negative influence on the society and make it necessary to study the levels of security and socio-political tension in Russia's regions. Thus, the object of the research is the social, ethnic and economic processes in different regions that influence the security and socio-political tension therein. The subject of the research is the model of security and index of socio-political tension in regions. To analyze security processes, the researchers have used systems approach, complex approach, historical approach, regional statistics and social research methods (rating and indexes) as well as mathematical methods to evaluate parameters of the model. The modeling results complete views of specialists in the theory and practice of security. The researchers also compare the results to research data in related areas (mathematical models of tension in regions, life quality rating, human development index). It is recommended to apply the research results in the sphere of management and government to create scenarios of socio-political development, to timely discover threats to national security and substantiate measures aimed at ensuring national, state, social and other kinds of security.