Jerusalem 2025: Birth capital of Israel; Haredim 51% of the Jews in the city

The Central Bureau of Statistics published today (Wednesday) on the occasion of Jerusalem Day data showing that the capital of Israel is the city with the highest number of births in the country, with 25,680 babies born there in 2024, of which 16,563 were to Jewish and other women, and 9,117 to Arab women.

This accounts for about 14% of all births in the country, despite the city's share of the population being about 10.4%.

The impressive growth is also explained by a high total fertility rate: 3.70 children per woman (compared to a national average of 2.87), and 4.40 among Jewish and other women. Additionally, the average age of mothers at first birth in Jerusalem is significantly lower: 24.6, compared to 27.4 on average nationwide.

As of the end of 2023, about 29.5% of the city's residents are Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) – about half of the Jews and others in the city (51%). The Haredim in Jerusalem make up slightly less than a quarter of all the Haredim in the country (22.5%).

However, alongside the impressive numbers, Jerusalem continues to face an opposite trend: a negative internal migration balance. In 2024, 18,550 residents left the city, while only 10,750 moved to it. The data shows that 35% of those leaving Jerusalem are children and teenagers under the age of 19, a figure that suggests that young families are leaving the city. At the same time, 31% of those moving to it are young people aged 20–29, suggesting that the city attracts singles, but does not always succeed in retaining families.

Nevertheless, the population in Jerusalem grew by about 17,900 residents in 2024, mainly due to natural increase (21,500 infants) along with an influx of international and foreign migrants.