JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel is entering the Hebrew year 5787 with a population of more than 10 million people, continued strong population growth and one of the highest fertility rates in the developed world, but also a growing number of Israelis leaving the country.
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Figures released by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics ahead of Rosh Hashanah provide a broad snapshot of the country’s demographic and economic situation, covering population growth, births, immigration, housing, household income and life expectancy.
At the end of 2025, Israel’s population was estimated at approximately 10.203 million people, including about 9.916 million Israeli residents and approximately 286,700 foreign residents. Of the Israeli population, roughly 7.767 million were Jewish (about 46% of the world population), 2.149 million were Arab residents and the rest were other denominations.
The Israeli population grew by approximately 1.1% during 2025, according to the CBS. The broader population, including foreign residents, continued to expand despite a negative international migration balance.
One of the most striking features of Israel’s demographic picture remains its high birthrate. During 2025, 183,678 babies were born in Israel, while the country’s total fertility rate stood at approximately 2.88 children per woman. That rate is exceptionally high by Western standards. The average fertility rate across OECD countries is approximately 1.4 children per woman, meaning Israel’s rate is more than twice the OECD average. Approximately 51,900 people died in 2025, according to the CBS.
The high fertility rate has helped Israel maintain relatively rapid natural population growth even as the country has experienced a significant increase in emigration since the outbreak of the war with Hamas in October 2023.
Migration has become one of the most notable changes in Israel’s demographic picture. During calendar year 2025, approximately 20,900 new immigrants arrived in Israel, while 69,542 Israelis were recorded as emigrants. Another 18,780 Israelis returned to the country after living abroad. The result was a negative international migration balance of approximately 50,800 Israelis for the year under the CBS’s annual methodology.
The figures represent a sharp change from the years before the war. In 2024, approximately 82,800 Israelis left the country, while about 24,200 returned, producing an even larger negative migration balance. In 2023, the number of Israelis recorded as emigrants was approximately 59,400.
The CBS methodology is important when interpreting these numbers: a person is classified as an emigrant only after meeting the bureau’s criteria for extended residence abroad. As a result, the number of people physically leaving Israel during a particular year is not necessarily identical to the number ultimately classified as emigrants.
A separate analysis cited by The Jerusalem Post, based on CBS data, found that nearly 269,000 Israelis were recorded as leaving the country during 2023-2025, although some subsequently returned.
At the same time, immigration to Israel has continued. The Aliyah and Integration Ministry reported a somewhat higher 2025 immigration figure — more than 22,500 new immigrants — reflecting differences between the ministry’s immigration data and the CBS’s population methodology. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, approximately 3.5 million people have immigrated to the country.
The CBS also examined how Jewish Israelis age 20 and older describe their religious identity.
According to the figures, 39.6% identified as secular or nonreligious, while 21.8% described themselves as traditional but not particularly religious. Another 14% identified as traditional-religious, 12.4% as religious and 11.5% as charedi. The figures are based on self-definition, rather than an external classification of religious observance.
The relatively high fertility rate among Israel’s Haredi and religious populations is one of the major factors behind the country’s unusually young demographic profile. The CBS has separately published long-term fertility data broken down by religiosity, showing significant differences between population groups.
Israel had slightly more than 3 million households, with an average of approximately 3.17 people per household. Housing remains a central feature of household finances. According to the latest CBS Household Expenditure Survey, 64.1% of Israeli households lived in homes they owned, while 32.2% of owner-occupied households were paying a mortgage.
The latest available household income figures are based on 2023 data, rather than 2025. The CBS reported average monthly gross money income of 26,330 shekels per household and average net money income of 21,606 shekels. Average monthly money expenditure was 14,823 shekels, while total consumption expenditure, including the estimated value of housing services for homeowners, was 18,088 shekels.
The CBS cautions that the 2023 survey represents a methodological break from previous income statistics because of increased use of administrative data, meaning comparisons with earlier years should be made carefully.
The income figures also reveal significant inequality. The top 10% of households accounted for 22.1% of total net money income, compared with just 2.6% for the bottom 10%.
Israel also continues to rank relatively high in life expectancy. Life expectancy is approximately 81.4 years for men and 85.9 years for women, according to the latest CBS mortality data.
The combination of high fertility and high life expectancy gives Israel an unusually young population compared with many other developed countries, even as the share of older Israelis continues to increase.
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