Friday Jun 13, 2025
NEWSLETTER
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
Home News Israel

Israeli baby boom? Jewish women's surprising upset

Central Bureau of Statistics reveals a dramatic decline in Muslim fertility to 2.75 children per woman, while Jewish women reach 3.06 in 2024.

by  Hili Yacobi-Handelsman
Published on  06-04-2025 14:14
Last modified: 06-04-2025 15:27
Israeli baby boom? Jewish women's surprising upsetOren Ben Hakoon

Israeli women in Jerusalem | Photo: Oren Ben Hakoon

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A groundbreaking demographic shift has emerged in Israel, with 2024 data from the Central Bureau of Statistics revealing that Jewish women's fertility rate, at 3.06 children per woman, now exceeds that of Muslim women, at 2.75 children per woman. The Muslim population, totaling around 1.809 million or 18.0% of Israel's residents, increased by 2.0% in 2024, gaining approximately 35,100 people since the end of 2023. While this growth outpaces the Jewish population's 1.1% rise, it reflects a major slowing down compared to the 3.8% growth rate in 2000. Meanwhile, the Christian population shrank by 0.2%, and the Druze population dropped by 0.9%.

Since 2001, the fertility rate for Muslim women has steadily declined, reaching 2.75 children per woman in 2024, compared to 3.06 for Jewish women, 1.66 for Druze women, 1.61 for Christian women, and 1.13 for women without religious classification. Nearly half of Muslims live in northern Israel, with 33.8% in the Northern District and 13.1% in the Haifa District. Another 22.1% reside in the Jerusalem District, 18.7% in the Southern District, 10.9% in the Central District, and 1.4% in the Tel Aviv District.

An ultra-Orthodox Jew on his way through the Old City streets in the Muslim Quarter passes a Palestinian July 29, 2000 (Reuters) Reuters

Roughly 43% of Muslims live in the ten localities with the largest Muslim populations. Jerusalem has the highest, with 386,300 Muslims, or 21.4% of the national Muslim population and 36.9% of the city's residents. The southern town of Rahat follows, with 77,900 Muslims comprising 99.5% of its population. Other notable Muslim communities include Umm al-Fahm (60,100 residents) and Nazareth (57,000 residents).

The Muslim population remains young, with 31.2% aged 0–14 and only 5.1% aged 65 and older. Among those aged 45–49, 9.2% of Muslim women are unmarried, compared to 4.7% of men. About 27% of Muslim-headed households include six or more members, compared to 10% of Jewish-headed households. Life expectancy in 2024 stood at 77.2 years for Muslim men and 82.9 years for women.

A view of the city of Rahat, in southern Israel (Dudu Grunshpan)

During the 2023/24 school year, 403,800 Muslim students attended primary and post-primary schools, with 6,900 in Hebrew-language schools and the rest in Arabic-language schools. In 2022/23, 74.0% of Muslim students who took matriculation exams qualified for a high school graduation diploma, and 48.3% met university admission standards, nearly matching the 46.8% from the prior year. Muslim women were far more likely to pursue bachelor's degrees (41.8%) than Muslim men (20.2%).

In the school year 2022/23, 3,100 Muslims enrolled in pre-academic programs, representing 27.0% of such students. In 2023/24, 49,800 Muslims studied in higher education, comprising 16.4% of all students. That year, 11,800 Muslims received academic degrees, accounting for 13.0% of all degree recipients.

The Greater Tel Aviv area (Moshe Shai)

In 2024, labor force participation among Muslims aged 15 and older was 48.2%, with 62.1% for men and 34.4% for women. In 2023, approximately 307,600 Muslims were registered with the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security, out of 1.18 million individuals. The disability registry included 179,100 Muslims, out of 1.163 million people.

In 2022, Muslims faced a criminal conviction rate 2.9 times higher than non-Muslims, at 579 per 100,000 people compared to 200 per 100,000. Common offenses included public order violations (28.2%), crimes against persons (22.4%), and property crimes (19.7%).

In 2024, 881,277 Muslims held driver's licenses, making up 16.8% of all drivers, with 41.5% being women. That year, 3,315 Muslims were injured in road accidents, representing 22.9% of all casualties, exceeding their 16.9% population share. Of these, 140 were killed, 690 were seriously injured, and 2,485 sustained minor injuries.

Tags: central bureau statistics israeldemographic change israelfertility rate muslim womenjewish fertility ratemuslim population israel

Related Posts

Argentina's Milei, feeling unwell, cancels visit to historic Jerusalem siteMenahem Kahana / AFP

Argentina's Milei, feeling unwell, cancels visit to historic Jerusalem site

by Ariel Kahana

Javier Milei was scheduled to tour the old City of David, where the capital was founded 3,000 years ago.

Official: UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway sanction Israeli ministers Yehuda Peretz

Official: UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway sanction Israeli ministers 

by Dudi Kogan

For the first time, Western nations are imposing sanctions on sitting Israeli ministers. The official statement declared that “Itamar Ben-Gvir...

Smotrich threatens Palestinian economic collapse over UK sanctionsOren Ben Hakoon/AFP

Smotrich threatens Palestinian economic collapse over UK sanctions

by Ariel Kahana

The Israeli finance minister has dramatically escalated tensions with Britain, threatening to immediately cease tax revenue transfers to the Palestinian...

Menu

Analysis 

Archaeology

Blogpost

Business & Finance

Culture

Exclusive

Explainer

Environment

 

Features

Health

In Brief

Jewish World

Judea and Samaria

Lifestyle

Cyber & Internet

Sports

 

Diplomacy 

Iran & The Gulf

Gaza Strip

Politics

Shopping

Terms of use

Privacy Policy

Submissions

Contact Us

About Us

The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30, 2007. Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better, more balanced and more accurate journalism. Journalism that speaks, not shouts. Journalism of a different kind. And free of charge.

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

Newsletter

[contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”]

  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il