AJC's 2000 American Jewish Year Book: Portland, Oregon Reports Largest Gain

American Jewish Committee
Friday, 11 August 2000

The largest population gain of any Jewish community in the United States in 1999 was reported in Portland, Oregon, according to the 100th edition of the American Jewish Year Book, published by the American Jewish Committee.

Total Jewish population in the United States remained at 6 million, with 46 percent of American Jews living in the Northeast, according to the 2000 Year Book.

Portland reported a gain of 7,500, raising the total population to 25,000, or 82 percent of Oregon's total Jewish population. This huge increase – 43 percent -- reflects protracted growth over time.

The two communities reporting the largest Jewish population growth after Portland were Boca Raton-Delray Beach, (6,000), and the remainder of Palm Beach County, (7,000), both in Florida. Modest growth also took place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Annapolis, Maryland; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Saratoga Springs and Utica, New York.

The largest reported drop, 7,000, was reported in Broward County, Florida. The decrease is attributed to the trend of Florida newcomers to settle further north along the coast in Palm Beach County.

While the Northeast continues to hold more than double the concentration of Jews of any region, 21 percent of American Jews live in the South, 21 percent in the West, and 12 in the Midwest regions.

New York remains the state with the highest Jewish concentration at 9.1 percent of its total population, followed by New Jersey at 5.8 percent, the District of Columbia at 4.8 percent, Massachusetts with 4.5 percent, and Florida with 4.3 percent.

These Jewish population estimates appear in the AJC American Jewish Year Book article, "Jewish Population in the United States, 1999," prepared by Jim Schwartz and Jeffrey Scheckner of the United Jewish Communities and the North American Jewish Data Bank.

Data were collected from about 200 Jewish federations. Estimates from areas without federations were provided by local rabbis and other informed communal leaders.

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org