Beit Shemesh is ranked 3rd in the list of Israel's poorest cities!

Today the National Insurance Institute published a report that stated: Israel has 1.98 million poor people, of whom about 872,000 are children who are below the poverty line.

According to the report's findings, Beit Shemesh ranks third in the list of the poorest cities in Israel. Modi'in-Illit is the poorest, followed by: Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Lod, Netanya, Ashdod, Beer Sheva, Jaffa and Bat Yam.

The survey is of cities with more than 80,000 residents. In Beit Shemesh 36.3% of the families were officially below the poverty line in 2023!

The National Insurance Institute's poverty and inequality report was published today against the backdrop of two severe crises that have impacted the Israeli economy in recent years: the COVID-19 pandemic and the October 7th attacks, followed by the ongoing war, which directly affected the economic-social situation in the country, economic growth, and the need for new welfare policies.

The poverty line for 2023 was set at approximately 3,324 NIS. Those whose income is below this amount are considered to be living in poverty, according to OECD standards. According to the report, the poverty line for a couple in Israel is 6,648 NIS, and for a couple with 3 children it stands at 12,465 NIS.

Poverty levels in Israel are high, with 1.98 million people living in poverty in 2023, including 872,400 children and 158,500 senior citizens.

Between 2022 and 2023, the poverty rate (the percentage of the population with income below the poverty line) remained almost unchanged, with a slight decrease from 20.8% to 20.7%.

An analysis by sector shows that poverty rates are higher among Haredi and Arab populations.

Geographic distribution of poverty shows that the poverty levels in the Jerusalem, Northern, and Southern districts are higher than the national average. The poverty rate for families was 36.2% in Jerusalem, 22.5% in the North, and 22.6% in the South. In contrast, the Tel Aviv and Central districts are in a better position, with poverty rates lower than the average.
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