Bamisparimעברית

Kibbutz · Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council · Southern District · founded 1944

Ruhama by the numbers

An older and highly educated kibbutz

Ruhama has 770 residents (CBS estimate, December 2024). Compared with the 930 other small towns, it is older than 88% of them, with more graduates than 84% of them and has smaller households than 77% of them.

Population
770
32% children under 18
Average monthly salary
₪17,461
15% higher than the national average
Schools
1
2 kindergartens
Socio-economic cluster
7 of 10
1 lowest, 10 highest

How does Ruhama compare with other towns?

Ruhama Another of the 931 towns with under 2,000 residents

Show

Young or old?

18%Older than 88% of towns
Residents aged 65+, 2022
LowHigh

How educated?

46%More graduates than 84% of towns
Residents with an academic degree, 2022
LowHigh

Big families?

2.7Smaller households than 77% of towns
People per household, average, 2022
LowHigh

How much do people earn?

₪12,290Higher wages than 76% of towns
Median monthly wage per employee, 2022
LowHigh
2 more comparisons

Can you live without a car?

7%Fewer car-free households than 72% of towns
Households without a car, 2022
LowHigh

Do people rent or own?

30%Like most (slightly above)
Households renting, 2022
LowHigh

Sources: age: CBS 2022; education, renting, cars and household size: the 2022 census, the only source at town level. Compared with the 931 towns with under 2,000 residents.

Ruhama in national rankings

    What is the average salary in Ruhama?

    ₪17,461 a month for the average employee, 15% higher than the national average; socio-economic cluster 7 of 10; a 7% income tax credit

    Wages 2025

    Show
    ₪17,461average monthly salary (Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council)

    15% above the national average.

    The council
    ₪17,461
    Israel
    ₪15,140
    19.7%earn up to minimum wageIsrael: 26.6%
    2.8%earn 4x the average or moreIsrael: 2.6%
    ₪12,697self-employed monthly incomeIsrael: ₪11,928
    Tax benefit town 2026
    Residents of Ruhama get an income tax credit of
    7%
    on income up to ₪146,640 a year. Worth up to about ₪855 a month.
    Socio-economic cluster
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10
    1 · lowesthighest · 10

    Ranked 627 of 996 communities in regional councils (1 is the lowest).

    Wages: National Insurance Institute, 2025, average for Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. Tax benefit: Israel Tax Authority list of eligible towns for 2026. Cluster: CBS socio-economic index 2021, the latest (published in 2024).

    Schools and kindergartens in Ruhama

    1 school, 2 kindergartens and 1 daycare centre

    Show
    1Schools
    2Kindergartens
    1Daycare centres

    Schools by stream: State (secular) 1.

    Source: Ministry of Education, list of active institutions

    Who lives in Ruhama?

    12% are 65 or older (less than the national share); the largest health fund is Clalit

    As of October 2026

    Show

    These figures are for Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council as a whole.

    Age groups

    Council
    32%
    56%
    12%
    Israel
    32%
    55%
    13%

    Under 18Working age (18–65)65+

    Health funds (kupot holim)

    Council
    78%
    17%
    Israel
    50%
    28%
    14%

    ClalitMaccabiMeuhedetLeumit

    20.9%self-employed among the insuredIsrael: 16.9%
    1.2%get unemployment benefitIsrael: 1%
    0.3%get pension income supplementIsrael: 2%
    2.1%get disability benefitIsrael: 3.8%
    4.1%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 Ruhama vote?

    Largest list: Yashar (39%). Turnout 71%

    Election for the 26th Knesset

    Show

    In the 2026 election, Ruhama voted The Democrats more than the country as a whole (‎+23 points) and Likud less (‎-18).

    Turnout
    Here, 202671%
    Israel, 202678%
    Here, 202267%

    In 2022 the largest list here was Yesh Atid (40%).

    Yashar
    39.4%
    The Democrats
    29.8%
    Together (Beyachad)
    15.5%
    Yisrael Beiteinu
    7.4%
    The Reservists and the Economic Party
    2.6%
    Likud
    2.4%

    Ruhama 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 Ruhama?

    About ₪330 a month for a 90 m² apartment, more than most local authorities

    Audited accounts 2024

    Show

    A 90 m² apartment in Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council pays about ₪330 a month in arnona on average (₪3,960 a year).

    Residential arnona, average per m² a year₪44
    Median authority: ₪41.5
    Spending per resident a year₪20,317
    Median authority: ₪8,818
    Arnona collected of the amount billed97.4%
    Median authority: 90%
    Own revenue as a share of all revenue31.1%
    Median authority: 45.9%

    Of every shekel the authority spends, 43 agorot go to education and 9 agorot to welfare. The authority ended 2024 with a deficit of ₪1,476 thousand.

    Source: Ministry of the Interior, audited financial reports of local authorities for 2024, Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. Actual arnona depends on the zone and type of property.

    Towns like Ruhama, and nearby

    Most similar: Kfar Malal, Ma'as, Aseret

    Show

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

    Kfar Malal307 residents · wage ₪11,320Ma'as874 residents · wage ₪12,400Aseret1,009 residents · wage ₪12,660Nir Tzvi1,116 residents · wage ₪12,750

    Closest on the map

    Ruhama: common questions

    Show

    What is the population of Ruhama?

    Ruhama has 770 residents, according to the CBS estimate for December 2024.

    How many schools are there in Ruhama?

    Ruhama has 1 schools, 2 kindergartens and 1 daycare centres, according to the Ministry of Education.

    What is the average salary in Ruhama?

    The average monthly wage per employee in Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council is ₪17,461, against ₪15,140 nationwide (National Insurance, 2025).

    Is there a tax benefit for living in Ruhama?

    Yes. In 2026, residents of Ruhama get an income tax credit of 7% on personal-exertion income of up to ₪146,640 a year.

    Which district is Ruhama in?

    Ruhama is in the Southern District, in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, Ashkelon subdistrict.

    Data sources

    CBS locality code: 362