Israel’s 77th Independence Day: One-third of Israelis are under 20
The latest data shows that 7,732,000 residents (77.6%) are Jewish or classified as “others,” such as non-Arab Christians or people without religious affiliation. The Arab population numbers 2,114,000 (20.9%), with 248,000 foreign workers (2.5%) living in the country.
Over the past year, Israel’s population grew by 135,000 people (a 1.4% increase), including roughly 32,000 from the foreign resident population. During this period, approximately 174,000 babies were born, 28,000 olim arrived, 50,000 people died and the balance of Israelis abroad showed a net outflow of about 56,000.
Israel’s annual growth rate of 1.4% far exceeds global averages. According to the CBS, the world’s population is growing at 0.9% annually, OECD countries at 0.5%, and the EU at just 0.2%. The CBS attributes Israel’s growth to a combination of high birth rates (nearly three children per woman on average), Jewish aliyah and high life expectancy.
Since Israel’s founding in 1948, the number of residents has increased 12.5-fold from a population of 806,000. Today, 18.5% of Israelis are under age 10, and 16.5% are between 10 and 19, meaning over one-third of the population is under 20. In contrast, just 3% are aged 80 and older and 6% are in their 70s.
The CBS also noted that since 1948, nearly 3.5 million olim have arrived in Israel, with around 1.66 million (47.6%) coming since 1990. As of the end of 2023, roughly 45% of the world’s Jewish population lives in Israel and about 80% of Israeli Jews were born in the country.
Globally, there are an estimated 15.8 million Jews, with more than 7 million living in Israel. In 1939, just before World War II, the global Jewish population numbered 16.6 million, including 449,000 (3%) in British Mandatory Palestine. By 1948, that number had dropped to 11.5 million, with 650,000 (6%) living in Israel.
Despite ongoing challenges, most Israelis report being satisfied with their lives. A 2024 social survey of adults aged 20 and over found that 91% are satisfied or very satisfied with their lives; 67% are content with their financial situation; 92% of working respondents are happy with their jobs and 83% rate their health as good or very good.
The survey also found that 94% of Israelis feel they have someone to rely on in times of crisis, 96% are satisfied with family relationships, 92% are in regular contact with friends and 78% report never or rarely feeling lonely.
Additionally, 86% are satisfied with their local area overall, 58% with neighborhood cleanliness and 62% with green spaces and parks. Looking ahead, 57% of Israelis believe their lives will improve in the coming years, 25% expect no change, 9% foresee deterioration and 9% are unsure.
26,000 new olim from 102 countries
The Aliyah and Integration Ministry also published figures showing that 26,211 new olim arrived in Israel since last Independence Day. The largest group — 14,398 — came from Russia, followed by 3,185 from the U.S. and 2,253 from France.
Other olim came from Ukraine, the UK, Belarus, Canada, Georgia, Argentina, South Africa and dozens of other countries, including individuals from Zambia, Afghanistan, Iceland and Uganda.
By age group, the largest number of olim (4,355) were aged 25–34. Another 5,047 were children aged 0–18, while 237 were over 85. A total of 2,494 families comprised 3 to 5 people, with 65 families having six or more members. Among the new arrivals were 1,250 elderly individuals living alone. The gender split was nearly even: 12,380 males and 13,831 females.
Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer said, “Even now, 77 years after the founding of the state and amid a complex security situation, we’re seeing continued aliyah and the desire of many Jews to come to Israel — right in the middle of a war — to be part of the Zionist story.”
Yaron Drukman, Itamar Eichner