United States Jewish Population, 2017

Abstract

This chapter examines the size, geographic distribution, and selected characteristics of the Jewish population of the US. Section 1 addresses the procedures employed to estimate the Jewish population of more than 900 local Jewish communities and parts thereof. Section 2 presents the major changes in local Jewish population estimates since last year’s Year Book. Section 3 presents a brief migration history of American Jews and examines population estimates for the country as a whole, each state, the four US Census Regions, the nine US Census Divisions, the 21 largest US Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), the 20 largest Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs), and the 51 Jewish Federation service areas with 20,000 or more Jews. Section 4 examines changes in the size and geographic distribution of the Jewish population at national, state, and regional scales from 1971–2017. Section 5 presents a description of local Jewish community studies completed in the past year (Broward County, Houston, and Omaha). Section 6 presents comparisons of Jewish communities on intermarriage rates and changes in those rates over time. Section 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.