United States Jewish Population, 2020

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter examines the size, geographic distribution, and selected characteristics of the US Jewish population. 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 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 21 largest Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs), and the 52 Jewish Federation service areas with 20,000 or more Jews. Section 5.3 examines changes in the size and geographic distribution of the Jewish population at national, state, and regional scales from 1980–2020. Maps are presented showing the distribution of the Jewish population by state every 20 years starting in 1860. Section 5.4 presents results from local Jewish community studies on visiting a Jewish museum or attending a Jewish cultural event in the past year. Section 5.5 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. The Appendix contains estimates of all Jewish communities with 100 or more Jews. Overall, 27 maps of the American Jewish community are provided.KeywordsUnites StatesJewish populationhistorical geography of American Jews