Israelis are leaving megacities

According to the Central Statistical Bureau of Internal Migration, Israelis are leaving large cities and moving to medium or small. This trend is the opposite of the global one, where the population rushes to big cities, turning them into overpopulated megalopolises.

The five largest cities of Israel - Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon-le-Zion and Ashdod - where a quarter of the population of the entire country is concentrated, lost more people from 2010 to 2013 than they gained.

In 2013, of the large cities in 40, whose population is at least 40 thousand people, only in 17 a positive migration balance was recorded. And if we consider the annual data from the year 2009 to the year 2013, then the positive migration balance was stably maintained only in the large cities of 9.

All the largest cities, whose population exceeds 100 thousand people, lose more residents than they acquire. In 2013, thousands of people left 22,5 in Tel Aviv, and 20,5 thousands moved to it.

18 thousands left Jerusalem that year, and only 10,5 thousands of new inhabitants settled.

But most Israelis fled from Ra'anana, an expensive city located just north of Tel Aviv. Every year from 2009 to 2013, 15-18 people for every thousand residents left it. And it’s no coincidence: a new 4-room apartment there costs an average of 2,14 million shekels. Ra'anans are moving to neighboring Kfar Saba and Hod Hasharon, where a stable positive migration balance has emerged.

Among the cities from which they leave more than come - Karmiel, Lod, Bnei Brak, Holon, Bat Yam, Acre, Tiberias, Nahariya, Herzliya, Beersheba, Eilat.

But in cities like Afula, Ganei-Aviv, Gan Yavne, Yokneam, Pardes Khan, Kfar Yona, Petah Tikva, Ashkelon, Beit Shemesh, Rehovot, Modiin, Netanya, Rosh HaAyin and Zichron Yaakov has seen population growth due to migration from other cities.