Israel Population Statistics: Growth, Economy & Challenges

Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) has released its annual report ahead of Rosh Hashanah 5787, painting a complex picture of the nation's state. While population continues to grow, life expectancy rises, and citizens report high life satisfaction, the data reveals underlying economic challenges affecting a significant portion of the population.

The country enters the new year with approximately 10.305 million residents. Of these, roughly 7.828 million are Jewish and others (78.3%), while about 2.173 million are Arab citizens (21.7%). An additional 304,000 foreign nationals currently reside in the country.

Over the past year, Israel's population increased by approximately 124,000 people, representing a growth rate of 1.2%. The country recorded about 182,000 births and 50,000 deaths during this period. However, a troubling trend emerged: Israel registered a negative international migration balance for the first time in recent memory. The net loss totaled around 8,000 Israelis --- 57,000 emigrated abroad while only 21,000 returned, though this was partially offset by 24,000 new immigrants.

In global context, Israel now hosts approximately 46% of the world's estimated 15.9 million Jews.

The employment and income data reveal significant disparities across Israeli society. The average net monthly household income stands at 21,606 shekels (approximately $6,000), while the average monthly salary for Israeli employees rose to 13,884 shekels. The high-tech sector continues to lead the economy with an impressive average monthly salary of 33,097 shekels per employee. Regarding housing, 64.1% of households own their homes. The average apartment price in Israel has reached approximately 2.33 million shekels, while average monthly rent stands at 4,919.3 shekels.

The economic strain is clearly felt across the population: 23.4% of Israelis report difficulty covering all monthly household expenses. A particularly stark figure shows that 6.8% of the public went without food in the past year due to financial hardship.

Additionally, the Consumer Price Index rose 2.6% in 2025, following a cumulative 18% increase over the previous five years.

Despite economic and security pressures, Israelis demonstrate impressive health and satisfaction metrics by global standards. Life expectancy in Israel exceeds the OECD average: men live an average of 81.4 years, while women reach 85.9 years. Among those aged 20 and above, 84.2% describe their health as "very good" or "good." The happiness and satisfaction index shows a striking figure: 92.2% of Israelis report being satisfied with their lives. Yet the Israeli reality takes a psychological toll: 26.3% report feeling stressed always or frequently, and 20.7% experience loneliness.