More Kids More Joy

Data from the Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) shows that parents of large families are happier than parents of small families.

The report, published in honor of “Family Day,” shows data from 2018, Israelnationalnews.com reported.

The number of people who are “very happy” with their lives is higher for married people than unmarried people in all age ranges, and especially among those aged 75 or older.

Among those between the ages of 20-49, 92% of married individuals and 88% of unmarried individuals are happy with their lives. Among those ages 50 and up, 90% of married individuals and 76% of unmarried individuals are happy with their lives.

Ninety-seven percent of Israelis feel that their families appreciate them, including 84% who say they are appreciated “very much” and 13% who say they are “somewhat” appreciated.

Among Jews, 17% see below age 24 as the ideal age for a man to start a family, while 39% see the ideal age as 25-29 and 37% see the ideal age as 30 or above. Eighty-three percent of haredi Jews believe that the ideal age for a man to start a family is before age 24, and 13% believe the ideal age is 25-29.

Among Arabs, 11% believe that the ideal age for a man to start a family is below age 24, while 65% believe the ideal age is 25-29 and 22% believe it is 30 or above.

Thirty-two percent of Jews believe the ideal age for a woman to start a family is before age 24, while 46% believe the ideal age is 25-29 and 16% believe women should start families after age 30. Among haredi Jews, 94% believe the ideal age for a woman to start a family is before age 24. Fifty-nine percent of Arabs agree, while 36% believe age 25-29 is the ideal age for a woman to start a family.

Fifty-two percent of secular Israelis believe that the ideal number of children in a family is three, while two-thirds of haredim believe the ideal family size is six or more children.

Among Arabs, the largest percentage (36%) believes that three children is ideal, and just 15% see a family of five or more children as ideal.

Thirty percent of the population aged 45 and older has the same number of children as they believe is the ideal number. Fifty-two percent have less children than they believe is ideal, and 18% have more children than they see as ideal.

Among Jews, life satisfaction generally improves as the number of children in the family rises.

The report was conducted by CBS during 2018, and included 7,450 individuals ages 20 and above, who represent 6.5 million people.

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