Bamisparimעברית

City · Jerusalem District · founded 1950

Beit Shemesh by the numbers

A family-oriented, quiet and young city

Beit Shemesh has 193,479 residents (CBS estimate, September 2026). Compared with the 100 other cities with 20,000+ residents, it has bigger families than 94% of them, less crime than 94% of them and more car-free households than 93% of them.

Population
193,479
#10 by size of 82 cities
Average home price
₪2.3M
14% higher than the national average
Average monthly salary
₪10,969
28% lower than the national average
Crime
17.2 per 1,000
Below the national average (33.9)

How does Beit Shemesh compare with other cities?

Beit Shemesh Another of the 101 cities with 20,000+ residents

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Big families?

4.5Bigger families than 94% of cities
People per household, average, 2022
LowHigh

How much crime?

17.2Less crime than 94% of cities
Criminal cases per 1,000 residents, 2025
LowHigh

Can you live without a car?

47%More car-free households than 93% of cities
Households without a car, 2022
LowHigh

Young or old?

4%Younger than 91% of cities
Residents aged 65+, 2026
LowHigh
5 more comparisons

Do people rent or own?

36%More renters than 84% of cities
Households renting, 2022
LowHigh

How much do people earn?

₪10,969Lower wages than 72% of cities
Average monthly wage per employee, 2025
LowHigh

How educated?

15%Fewer graduates than 72% of cities
Residents with an academic degree, 2022
LowHigh

How much is rent?

₪5,100Like most (slightly above)
Average monthly rent, 2026
LowHigh

How much does an apartment cost?

₪2,310,200Like most (slightly above)
Average apartment price, 2026
LowHigh

Sources: wages: National Insurance 2025; housing: Tax Authority (Nadlan) 2026; age: National Insurance 2026; crime: Israel Police 2025; education, renting, cars and household size: the 2022 census, the only source at town level. Compared with the 101 cities with 20,000+ residents.

Beit Shemesh in national rankings

7 more rankings

How much does it cost to live in Beit Shemesh?

Average home ₪2.3M, 14% higher than the national average; rent ₪5,100 a month

Tax Authority sales data · to March 2026

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Average home price
₪2.3Mover the last 12 months
▲ 5% a year14% above the national average
3 rooms
₪2M
4 rooms
₪2.4M
5+ rooms
₪3.2M
Average rent
₪5,100a month
▲ 6.3% a year2% above the national average
3 rooms
₪4,600
4 rooms
₪5,500
5+ rooms
₪7,000
17.6years of the average local salary
buy an average home (before costs)
46%of the average salary
goes on average rent

Average home price by quarterBeit ShemeshIsrael

₪2.3MQ2 21Q2 22Q2 23Q2 24Q2 25Q2 26

Source: Israel Tax Authority, Nadlan.gov.il. Averages of reported sales; with too few sales no average is shown. Years of salary use the National Insurance average wage.

Housing and construction

Beit Shemesh home prices by neighbourhood

▲ Shazar ₪3M▲ Ramat Beit Shemesh B ₪2.8M▲ Ramat Beit Shemesh A ₪2.7M▼ Kiryat Aryeh Scheinfeld ₪2.1M▼ City Centre ₪1.8M

29K housing units in approved plans · 8 urban renewal compounds · 3 open land tenders

All 14 neighbourhoods, plans and urban renewal →

What is the average salary in Beit Shemesh?

₪10,969 a month for the average employee, 28% lower than the national average; socio-economic cluster 2 of 10

Wages 2025

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₪10,969average monthly salary

28% below the national average.

Beit Shemesh
₪10,969
Israel
₪15,140
36.6%earn up to minimum wageIsrael: 26.6%
0.9%earn 4x the average or moreIsrael: 2.6%
₪8,832self-employed monthly incomeIsrael: ₪11,928
Socio-economic cluster
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1 · lowesthighest · 10

Ranked 15 of 255 local authorities (1 is the lowest).

Wages: National Insurance Institute, 2025. Cluster: CBS socio-economic index 2021, the latest (published in 2024).

Schools and kindergartens in Beit Shemesh

230 schools, 748 kindergartens and 75 daycare centres

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230Schools
748Kindergartens
75Daycare centres

Schools by stream: Haredi 195, State-religious 19, State (secular) 16.

Schools230 schoolsThe full list, by stage and streamKindergartens748 kindergartensPublic and recognised, searchable by name

Source: Ministry of Education, list of active institutions

Parks, transport and health care in Beit Shemesh

319 parks and gardens, 29 sports facilities, 74 public transport lines

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Parks and playgrounds319 parks, gardens and playgroundsBig parks, dog parks and beachesSports facilities29 sports facilitiesCourts, halls and pools by neighbourhoodPublic transport74 linesBus and train lines and where they goHealth12 clinics and pharmaciesHospitals, health fund clinics and pharmacies

Crime in Beit Shemesh: is Beit Shemesh safe?

17.2 cases per 1,000 residents, below the national average (33.9)

Israel Police · 2025

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17.2criminal cases per 1,000 residents in 2025

Nationwide: 33.9. Down 3% from 2024. Violent offences are 18% of cases, against 16% nationwide.

Source: Israel Police, cases opened in 2025 (3,225 cases).

Road accidents1,337 injury accidentsHow many, who was hurt and whereCell antennas58 antennasWhere they are and which company runs them

Who lives in Beit Shemesh?

53% are under 18 (more than the national share); the largest health fund is Meuhedet

As of October 2026

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Age groups

Beit Shemesh
53%
43%
Israel
32%
55%
13%

Under 18Working age (18–65)65+

Health funds (kupot holim)

Beit Shemesh
23%
15%
42%
19%
Israel
50%
28%
14%

ClalitMaccabiMeuhedetLeumit

18.3%self-employed among the insuredIsrael: 16.9%
0.6%get unemployment benefitIsrael: 1%
0.6%get pension income supplementIsrael: 2%
0.2%get income supportIsrael: 0.4%
2.8%get disability benefitIsrael: 3.8%
1.2%get long-term care benefitIsrael: 4.1%

Source: National Insurance Institute, statistics by town (ages as of October 2026). Benefit rates are shares of all residents.

How does Beit Shemesh vote?

Largest list: United Torah Judaism (41%). Turnout 68%

Election for the 26th Knesset

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In the 2026 election, Beit Shemesh voted United Torah Judaism more than the country as a whole (‎+36 points) and Yashar less (‎-14).

Turnout
Here, 202668%
Israel, 202678%
Here, 202266%

In 2022 the largest list here was United Torah Judaism (39%).

United Torah Judaism
41%
Shas
15.8%
Likud
13.9%
Otzma Yehudit
8.1%
Religious Zionism-Zehut
8.1%
Yashar
2.6%

Beit Shemesh All Israel

Source: Central Elections Committee, 26th Knesset election (2026), via the Kaplan Open Source mirror (official results by locality). Compared with the 25th Knesset (2022)

How much is arnona (property tax) in Beit Shemesh?

About ₪353 a month for a 90 m² apartment, more than most local authorities

Audited accounts 2024

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A 90 m² apartment in Beit Shemesh pays about ₪353 a month in arnona on average (₪4,230 a year).

Residential arnona, average per m² a year₪47
Median authority: ₪41.5
Spending per resident a year₪5,567
Median authority: ₪8,818
Arnona collected of the amount billed87.1%
Median authority: 90%
Own revenue as a share of all revenue49.3%
Median authority: 45.9%

Of every shekel the authority spends, 38 agorot go to education and 19 agorot to welfare. The authority ended 2024 with a deficit of ₪36,501 thousand.

Source: Ministry of the Interior, audited financial reports of local authorities for 2024. Actual arnona depends on the zone and type of property.

Budget and arnona2024 reportWhere the money goes and where it comes from

Towns like Beit Shemesh, and nearby

Most similar: Elad, Bnei Brak, Beitar Illit

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Similar in wages, education, age, renting, car ownership, household size and population mix.

Elad51,258 residents · wage ₪9,621Bnei Brak242,192 residents · wage ₪9,638Beitar Illit74,079 residents · wage ₪8,364Jerusalem1,075,201 residents · wage ₪11,762

Closest on the map

Beit Shemesh: common questions

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What is the population of Beit Shemesh?

Beit Shemesh has 193,479 residents, according to the CBS estimate for September 2026. It is the 10th largest city in Israel, out of 82 cities.

Is Beit Shemesh safe?

In 2025, police opened 17.2 criminal cases per 1,000 residents in Beit Shemesh, below the national average (33.9). It ranks 78 of 82 cities for crime rate (1 = the most).

How many schools are there in Beit Shemesh?

Beit Shemesh has 230 schools, 748 kindergartens and 75 daycare centres, according to the Ministry of Education.

How much does an apartment cost in Beit Shemesh?

The average apartment in Beit Shemesh sells for ₪2,310,200, based on deals in the 12 months to March 2026, against ₪2,034,550 nationwide. It ranks 25 of 70 cities (1 = the most expensive).

How much is rent in Beit Shemesh?

Average rent in Beit Shemesh: ₪5,100 a month, against ₪5,006 nationwide.

What is the average salary in Beit Shemesh?

The average monthly wage per employee in Beit Shemesh is ₪10,969, against ₪15,140 nationwide (National Insurance, 2025).

Is there a tax benefit for living in Beit Shemesh?

No. Beit Shemesh is not on the Tax Authority's list of eligible localities for 2026.

Which district is Beit Shemesh in?

Beit Shemesh is in the Jerusalem District.

Data sources

CBS locality code: 2610