Updated
Overview
The United States has 34 times the population of Israel: 341.78 million people against 10.12 million (2025).
The United States' economy is 50 times the size of Israel's, at $30.77T versus $610.78B.
Per person, the United States is the wealthier of the two: $90,027 against $60,337 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | United States | Israel | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $30.77T | $610.78B | 2025 | $29.18T / $540.38B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $90,027 | $60,337 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.2% | Higher: 2.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.9% | 3.0% | 2024 / 2025 | — / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | 4.2% | Lower: 3.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 100 | 101 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $6,273 | $3,383 | 2025 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,257 | Higher: $1,589 | 2026 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.22 | $7.67 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 341.78 million | 10.12 million | 2025 | 338.02 million / 9.40 million |
| Population growth | 0.5% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 38.5 yrs | 29.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.62 | 2.75 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 78.9 yrs | Higher: 83.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 80% | 92% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 95% | 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 9,833,517 km² | 20,770 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 34.8/km² | 487.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 4,904 Mt | Lower: 53 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 14.2 t | Lower: 5.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $997.31B | $46.51B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 3.4% | 8.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 1.4 million | 178,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Israel is growing faster: 2.9% annual GDP growth versus 2.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.9% in the United States and 3.0% in Israel.
Average monthly earnings favour the United States: $6,273 against $3,383 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Israel is the far younger society: median age 29.2 versus 38.5 years.
Life expectancy is 4.3 years longer in Israel (83.2 vs 78.9).
Israel is considerably more urbanized: 92% of people live in cities, against 80%.
Geography
By land area, the United States is 473 times the size of Israel: 9,833,517 km² versus 20,770 km².
Israel is far more densely settled: 487 people per km² against 35.
Military
The United States spends 21 times as much on defence as Israel: $997.31B versus $46.51B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Israel carries the heavier military burden: 8.8% of GDP versus 3.4%.
The United States fields the larger armed forces: 1.4 million personnel against 178,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is the United States bigger than Israel?
- The United States is larger by land area. The United States covers 9,833,517 km² while Israel covers 20,770 km², so the United States is 473 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, the United States or Israel?
- The United States has the larger population: 341.78 million versus 10.12 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is the United States richer than Israel?
- Measured by GDP per capita, the United States is richer: $90,027 against $60,337. Total GDP tells the same story: $30.77T for the United States versus $610.78B for Israel.
- Who spends more on their military, the United States or Israel?
- The United States spends more: $997.31B versus $46.51B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).