One in four families in Tel Aviv-Jaffa is headed by a single parent, significantly higher than the national rate of 15%, according to new data examining the city’s changing population.
The city is home to 13,412 single-parent families, including 6,730 headed by an unmarried parent. Women head 96% of all single-parent families in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
The proportion of single-parent families in the city has increased by four percentage points since 2015, according to the report, which was compiled by the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality’s Center for Economic and Social Research using data from the Central Bureau of Statistics and other sources.
Some 7,220 single-parent families live in northern and central Tel Aviv, while 2,290 live in Jaffa and southern Tel Aviv and another 2,540 live in the eastern part of the city.
The report also examined women, Arab residents, foreign nationals and asylum seekers, people with disabilities, senior citizens, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Women make up half of the city
Approximately 234,100 women live in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, accounting for half of the city’s population. Women make up 57% of residents aged 65 and older.
The city’s expected fertility rate stands at 1.8 births per woman, compared with a national average of 2.9.
Forty-four percent of women in Tel Aviv-Jaffa have completed at least 16 years of education, compared with 29% nationwide. Some 69% of women in the city participate in the workforce, compared with 73% of the city’s overall population.
Women account for 36% of the city’s self-employed workers, compared with 29% nationwide.
The ratio of women to men in managerial-level representation stands at 1.1 in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, compared with 0.7 across Israel. Women also hold 33% of the seats on the Tel Aviv-Jaffa City Council.
Women and girls account for 60% of those registered at the city’s community centers and 34% of the participants in the 2026 Tel Aviv Marathon.
Women are also more likely than men to commute to work by bus, at rates of 28% and 18%, respectively.
Arab population concentrated in Jaffa
Tel Aviv-Jaffa has 26,970 Arab residents, including 21,450 living in Jaffa, who account for 38% of its population.
Jaffa’s population is 54% Jewish, 31% Muslim and 6% Arab Christian. An additional 1% belong to other Christian communities, while 7% are listed as having no religion.
The rate of eligibility for a high-school matriculation certificate among Arab students stands at 83%, compared with 85% in the city’s Hebrew-language education system.
Arab students account for 32% of students living in Jaffa.
Some 11% of the city’s Arab residents receive assistance from welfare services, compared with 6% of the overall population. Their workforce participation rate stands at 71.8%, compared with 73.3% citywide.
Arab employees make up 10% of the municipality’s workforce.
Foreign nationals and asylum seekers
Tel Aviv-Jaffa was home to an estimated 24,770 foreign residents in 2025, a decrease of approximately 9% compared with 2024. They account for about 10% of Israel’s foreign population.
Men make up 64% of the city’s foreign population, while women account for 36%. Some 37% are between the ages of 30 and 49, and 18% are under 18.
Approximately 9,520 residents are classified as asylum seekers or refugees. Israel’s total asylum-seeker and refugee population stands at 19,310. They account for 38% of the city’s foreign population.
Another 9,430 foreign workers living in the city do not have valid visas, also accounting for 38% of its foreign population.
Tel Aviv-Jaffa is home to 5,820 legal foreign caregivers, representing 24% of the city’s foreign population. There are approximately 163,350 legal foreign caregivers nationwide.
More than half, 54%, of the city’s asylum seekers and residents without legal status are concentrated in the Neve Sha’anan, Shapira and Hatikva neighborhoods.
The number of foreign residents in the city has fallen by 59% since 2013. During the same period, the number of children between the ages of seven and 18 rose by 136%, while the number of children aged six and younger fell by 44%.
Residents with disabilities and senior citizens
Approximately 56,090 Tel Aviv-Jaffa residents have disabilities, including 17,840 people with physical disabilities, 16,270 with mental disabilities and 14,920 with chronic illnesses.
Around 27,260 residents with disabilities are aged 65 or older.
The city is home to approximately 75,590 residents over the age of 65, representing 16% of its population. Women account for 59% of this age group, while men account for 41%.
Of the city’s senior citizens, 37,950 are over the age of 75, and 27,280 have disabilities.
Some 32.1% of senior citizens receiving assistance from municipal welfare services are classified as living alone or lacking adequate support networks.
Tel Aviv’s LGBTQ+ community
Approximately 10% of Tel Aviv-Jaffa residents, an estimated 35,600 people, identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Fifty-eight percent of the city’s LGBTQ+ population is between the ages of 20 and 39, compared with 33% of the city’s overall population.
About 16% have children under the age of 18, compared with 26% among the general population.
Seventy-one percent of LGBTQ+ residents live in rented homes, compared with 52% of the city’s overall population.
“Tel Aviv-Jaffa is a microcosm of Israeli society,” the municipality’s Center for Economic and Social Research said. “It is a diverse city that includes residents from every population group, including Arabs and Jews, people with disabilities, refugees, LGBTQ+ residents and people from all religious streams.”
“Women and the city’s diverse communities are a significant municipal asset that helps shape the character of Tel Aviv-Jaffa,” it added. “Recognizing their characteristics, needs and unique barriers is essential to advancing substantive equality in the city.”