Israel's Population Hits 10.3 Million Amid Rising Emigration

Israel's population has reached an estimated 10.305 million people as the Jewish New Year approaches, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics. Over the past year, the population grew by approximately 124,000, a 1.2% increase. The demographic breakdown shows 7.8 million Jews (78.3%) and nearly 2.2 million Arabs (21.7%), along with around 300,000 foreign nationals.

During the same period, there were about 182,000 births and 50,000 deaths. However, the data also revealed a negative international migration balance, which decreased the population by roughly 8,000. While 24,000 new immigrants arrived and 4,000 came through family reunification, 57,000 Israelis left the country, and only 21,000 expatriates returned.

Israel maintains a high fertility rate of 2.88 children per woman, significantly above the OECD average of 1.41. Life expectancy stands at 81.4 years for men and 85.9 years for women. Globally, approximately 15.9 million Jews were living as of January 1, 2026, with about 46% residing in Israel. Since the state's inception, 3.51 million people have immigrated to Israel.