Want to Live to 90? In Israel It’s Becoming the Norm
CBS report shows record highs, but war deaths from October 7 were left out of the data.
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A new report from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reveals that life expectancy in Israel has reached a new high between 2019 and 2023. The country now ranks among the top in the OECD, with women continuing to live significantly longer than men.
According to the latest mortality tables, the average life expectancy in Israel stands at 85.0 years for women and 80.8 years for men. This 4.2-year gender gap remains consistent across population groups. Among Israeli Arabs, for example, women are expected to live 81.9 years, while men are expected to live 77.2 years.
The data reflects not only increased longevity but also improvements in overall quality of life and healthcare. More than half of girls born in this period are expected to live beyond 87 years, and 38.2 percent are projected to reach age 90. For boys, over half are expected to live past 83 years, and 26 percent may reach 90.
Older adults also show strong life expectancy. Women aged 65 can expect another 22.2 years, while men of the same age can expect 19.6 additional years. At age 80, women have an average of 10.4 years left, compared to 9.2 years for men.
International comparisons place Israeli men in fifth place among OECD countries, with a life expectancy of 81.7 years, similar to France. Israeli women are ranked second at 85.7 years, just behind Japan, Spain, and South Korea.
The report also highlights a one-year jump in life expectancy in 2023, following the drop seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the data does not include the 1,250 Israelis killed in the October 7 attacks and the following war. If those deaths had been included, the overall rise in 2023 would have been only 0.5 years.
The Bureau emphasized that these mortality tables, calculated with advanced statistical methods, are crucial for national planning. They influence decisions on pensions, healthcare, and welfare services and serve as a key indicator for Israel’s demographic and social future.