(haipo) – A new report by the Central Bureau of Statistics, published on the occasion of Tu B’Shvat 2026, presents a complex picture for Haifa. The city, which was previously ranked among the cities with the highest quality of life in Israel, dropped in 2024 to the group of cities with an average overall score. Alongside notable advantages such as low housing density and relatively high satisfaction with residential areas, Haifa also presents challenges in the areas of health, employment and public trust.
Low housing density – a central bright spot
According to the report, Haifa ranks second in Israel in terms of low housing density, a figure that reflects a high quality of life in the home. This means more living space for households, less clutter in apartments, and a greater sense of spaciousness.
This index places Haifa alongside established cities such as Herzliya and Kfar Saba, and highlights the city's advantages in terms of urban planning and open spaces.
Drop in overall ranking: Haifa is no longer among the leading cities
Despite its strengths, Haifa fell in 2024 to the group of cities with an average overall score in the quality of life indicators.
The group includes cities such as Rishon LeZion, Beer Sheva, Bnei Brak and Hadera, but does not include leading cities such as Kfar Saba, Ramat Gan and Herzliya.
The drop in ranking indicates gaps in areas such as:
- Trust in the legal system
- Using online government services
- a feeling of loneliness
- Drinking water quality
- Satisfaction with public transportation
Comparison to other cities: Haifa in the middle of the table
The report ranks the 18 largest cities in Israel into three groups:
- High group: Kfar Saba, Ramat Gan, Herzliya, Rehovot, Petah Tikva, Netanya and Tel Aviv-Yafo
- Medium group: Haifa, Rishon LeZion, Beer Sheva, Bnei Brak, Hadera, Beit Shemesh
- Low group: Holon, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Bat Yam, Jerusalem
Haifa is in the middle of the list, not among the weakest cities, but also far from the outstanding cities.
What does this say about the quality of life in the city?
The data indicates that Haifa enjoys significant advantages in physical space and urban planning, but faces challenges in the areas of services, public trust, and a sense of personal well-being.
The report emphasizes that the composition of the population, the economic situation, and social characteristics affect the indicators, and therefore the data must be examined in a broad context.
Looking ahead: an opportunity for improvement
The decline in the overall ranking may serve as a wake-up call for the Haifa Municipality and government ministries:
- Strengthening municipal services
- Improving public transportation
- Investing in green spaces
- Strengthening public trust in service systems
- Promoting programs to improve the quality of life in disadvantaged neighborhoods
Haifa, a city with high potential, can return to the top if it focuses on indicators in which it is less well off than the national average.
I was in Haifa this week, in the "Hadar" neighborhood, and Talpiot Market, I felt like I was back in time to the Ottoman period, in a really negative sense. And real poverty. It was possible to turn the place into a picturesque gem like in other countries, to respect the buildings and renovate. Where is the mayor???? Time has stopped here, you can see that no one cares. Sad.
On the tip of the fork - Haifa of old. Clean. Good roads. Sidewalks. No congestion on the roads. Today - the fork, its teeth are crooked. A broken city.
The low density relative to other cities is due to the topographical structure (mountains), which makes construction in many places unprofitable.
In other words, even if there is one statistic in which Haifa is superior, it is not the result of successful management!!!
How can there be trust in the law enforcement and justice system when a minority group manages to close the entire Moria and Horeb highway for hours every week and the municipality surrenders?!
Our "beautiful Haifa" – a city and mother in Israel…
😍City-"Karach" a metropolis between "Carmel" and "Sea"... = "Nature" in all its glory...; passionate about education & culture & art and more... Where is there another one like this in all the world...?????
The teacher said to the mayor: "The potential is huge but not enough "realized"...!!!@@@ =
"Tikva" friends, VA case🙏🙏🙏
"Our hope is not yet lost"… = "Optimism"
In light of Haifa's untapped potential, it is relegated to the low ranking.