diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/restrict-template-expressions.md b/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/restrict-template-expressions.md
index 4bb2a062ad9..260a8eb188d 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/restrict-template-expressions.md
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/restrict-template-expressions.md
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ type Options = {
 };
 
 const defaults = {
-  allowNumber: false,
+  allowNumber: true,
   allowBoolean: false,
   allowAny: false,
   allowNullable: false,
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/restrict-template-expressions.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/restrict-template-expressions.ts
index aeda73af521..dd030cf5bc0 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/restrict-template-expressions.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/restrict-template-expressions.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@ export default util.createRule<Options, MessageId>({
       },
     ],
   },
-  defaultOptions: [{}],
+  defaultOptions: [
+    {
+      allowNumber: true,
+    },
+  ],
   create(context, [options]) {
     const service = util.getParserServices(context);
     const typeChecker = service.program.getTypeChecker();
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/restrict-template-expressions.test.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/restrict-template-expressions.test.ts
index b0b3069062d..2d1a7422183 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/restrict-template-expressions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/restrict-template-expressions.test.ts
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ ruleTester.run('restrict-template-expressions', rule, {
       code: `
         const msg = \`arg = \${123}\`;
       `,
+      options: [{ allowNumber: false }],
       errors: [
         {
           messageId: 'invalidType',
@@ -246,6 +247,7 @@ ruleTester.run('restrict-template-expressions', rule, {
         declare const arg: number;
         const msg = \`arg = \${arg}\`;
       `,
+      options: [{ allowNumber: false }],
       errors: [
         {
           messageId: 'invalidType',