Israel’s population reaches 10.3 million ahead of Rosh Hashanah
New figures show 1.2% annual growth, driven by 182,000 births, while Israel’s fertility rate remains more than twice the OECD average
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, Israel’s population is estimated at 10.305 million, according to data released Wednesday by the Central Bureau of Statistics. Over the past year, the population grew by approximately 124,000 people, an increase of 1.2%.
Israel is home to about 7.8 million Jews and members of other non-Arab communities, who account for 78.3% of the Israeli population, as well as nearly 2.2 million Arabs, representing 21.7%. An additional 300,000 foreign nationals live in the country. During the past year, approximately 182,000 children were born and 50,000 people died.
The figures also reveal a negative international migration balance, reducing Israel’s population growth by approximately 8,000 people.
Around 24,000 new immigrants arrived in the country, while another 4,000 people entered through family reunification. Meanwhile, approximately 21,000 Israelis returned after living abroad, while 57,000 left the country.
Israel’s fertility rate remains significantly higher than that of other developed countries, at 2.88 children per woman, compared with an OECD average of 1.41. Life expectancy stands at 81.4 years for men and 85.9 years for women.
As of January 1, 2026, the global Jewish population stood at nearly 15.9 million, approximately 46% of whom lived in Israel. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, around 3.51 million people have immigrated to the country.