The Berman Jewish DataBank report on United States Jewish Population, 2020, written by Dr. Ira M. Sheskin and Dr. Arnold Dashefsky, is based on Chapter 5 of the American Jewish Year Book, 2020 (edited by Dashefsky and Sheskin).
Jewish Population Estimate
Based on a summation of local Jewish community estimates (which are detailed in the Appendix), the estimated size of the American Jewish community in 2020 is approximately 7 million Jewish persons.
Note: This estimate is based on a statistical ,aggregation of local estimates of more than 900 American Jewish communities where the total number was 7.15 million Jews, which is the basis for most of the tables in the report. But accounting for double-counting between states, the estimate is most likely between 6.9 and 7.0 million Jewish persons.
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Section I: Population Estimation Methodology discusses the multiple sources of Jewish population estimates used in the article, including scientific estimates, census estimates, informant estimates and Internet estimates.
Figure 1 (page 14 of the PDF) presents a quick overview of U.S. Jewish population estimates from 1780 to 2020.
Organization of data presentation:
♦ Table 1 Regional estimates of the number of Jewish persons, which show (for example) that 44.9% of American Jews live in the Northeastern Census Region compared to 17.1% of the total US population.
♦ Table 2 provides a state-by-state estimate of the number of Jewish persons, the percentage of each state's population which is Jewish, and the percentage each state contributes to the total U.S. Jewish population.
♦ Table 3 shows the Jewish population of the largest 21 MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas), while Table 4 lists the top 21 largest CSAs (Combined Statistical Areas).
♦ Table 5 lists Jewish population estimates for Jewish Federation service areas where the Jewish population is at least 20,000.
♦ In Table 6, Jewish population change 1980-2020 is analyzed by Census Region. Thus, while 44.9% of Jews live in the Northeast in 2020, the comparable percentage in 1980 was 57.3%.
♦ Table 7 shows US Jewish population estimates by state for 1980 and 2020, indicating numerical and percentage changes over the time period. Note that a 2019 Jewish population study of St.Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota resulted in an increased estimate of Jews in the state from 1980 to 2020 of 88% (the AJYB 2019 estimate was 45,600 compared to the updated 2020 estimate 65,900 Jewish persons).
Maps
♦ The report includes 27 maps of the Jewish population in the United States. These maps are integrated into the 2020 report, but are also available as a separate download via the Berman Jewish DataBank on this study page.
Map 1 visually summarizes the US census regions in 2020.
Maps 2-10 are historical "dot" maps intended to show the changing distribution of U.S. Jewish persons in 1860, 1880, 1900, 1920, 1940, 1960, 1980, 2000 and 2020.
Map 11 presents a trend comparison of the mean geographic center of the U.S. general population from 1790-2020 and the Jewish geographic center from 1860-2020.
Map 12 shows a dot matrix overview of U.S. Jewish population shifts from 1980-2020.
Map 13 shows US Jewish population by county (based on data from Joshua Comenetz).
Maps 14-27 focus on state and regional Jewish population distributions.
Appendix A: Jewish Population by Community
♦ Appendix A - the listing of the number of Jewish persons in all US local communities with at least 100 Jewish residents - is integrated into the U.S. Jewish population report in 2020.
The Appendix PDF provides the number of Jewish persons in communities of at least 100 or more Jews, organized by state and then by communities within each state.
♦ The companion Excel file for Appendix A is also available as a separate download on this DataBank study page. This excel document documents sources of data estimates, etc.