Quality of Life and Standard of Living
Chapter 2
Almost all Arab localities in Israel (95%) are ranked in the five lowest clusters (out of ten) in the socioeconomic index published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). By contrast, the majority of Jewish localities (67%) are ranked in the five highest clusters in the index.
According to data from the National Insurance Institute (NII) for 2022, poverty rates in Arab society for both families (39%) and children (49.1%) are considerably lower than they were a decade ago. However, poverty rates in Arab society are still twice as high as the rates in Jewish society, for both families (15.9%) and children (21.4%).
In 2023, the number of Arab citizens murdered in violent incidents reached an all- time high of 244. Overall, the number of victims of violence in Arab society has been climbing steadily in recent years, and the rising tide of violence has also claimed the lives of elected officials, including members of Arab local councils.
Until just a few years ago, a sizable proportion of homicide cases in Arab society occurred in the Triangle region. Today, most Arab homicides are committed in the Galilee. The homicide rate in the Negev remains lower than in the other regions.
