Jewish Population in the United States, 2015

Abstract

This chapter examines the size, geographic distribution, and selected characteristics of the Jewish population of the US. Section 5.1 addresses the procedures employed to estimate the Jewish population of more than 900 local Jewish communities and parts thereof. Section 5.2 presents the major changes in local Jewish population estimates since last year’s Year Book. Section 5.3 examines population estimates for the country as a whole, each state, the four US Census Regions, the nine US Census Divisions, the 20 largest US Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), the 20 largest US Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs) and the 51 Jewish Federation service areas with 20,000 or more Jews. Section 5.4 examines changes in the size and geographic distribution of the Jewish population at national, state, and regional scales from 1971 to 2015. Section 5.5 presents a description of local Jewish community studies and vignettes on recently completed local Jewish community studies (Columbus, Miami, and St. Louis). Section 5.6 relates to chapters in the current volume, specifically Chap. 1 on immigrant groups, by presenting comparisons of Jewish communities on the percentage of adults who are foreign born, and to Chap. 2 on Jewish life on campus, by presenting comparisons of Jewish communities on levels of secular education. Section 5.7 presents an atlas of local American Jewish communities, including a national map of Jews by county and 14 regional and state maps of Jewish communities.