# Turkey demographic aging and population shifts

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkey-demographic-aging-and-population-shifts
> Updated: 2026-08-24T11:51:00.000Z. Sources: 20. Developments: 3.

Turkey is experiencing a significant demographic shift characterized by an aging population and declining birth rates. Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) indicates that the proportion of the population aged 65 and older has reached a historic high of 11.1%, totaling approximately 9.58 million people. This trend is accompanied by a decline in the child population (ages 0-14), which has fallen to 20.4%. The median age in the country has risen to 34.9, up from 24.8 in 2000, driven by a fertility rate of approximately 1.42.

By the first half of 2026, the total population grew by 228,434 people to reach approximately 86.3 million. This aging trend has increased demand for elderly care. Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Minister of Family and Social Services, reported that nearly 30,000 elderly people are in residential care, including 15,263 individuals in 178 Ministry-affiliated nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. To address capacity issues and waiting lists, the Ministry plans to open six new facilities and complete 14 nursing homes under construction by 2027.

Parallel shifts in living arrangements show that single-person households reached 5,523,321 in 2025, accounting for 20.5% of all households, up from 13.9% in 2014. Analysis by the Saadet Party suggests this rise is driven by elderly women living alone after the loss of spouses, rising marriage ages, and increased divorce rates. Economic factors, including high housing costs, cost-of-living issues, and job insecurity, are cited as primary reasons for young people delaying marriage. The Saadet Party has called for increased social support, home care services, and economic assistance for young families to address these pressures.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-24: Turkey single-person households rise to 20.5% of total

A Saadet Party report reveals that single-person households in Turkey have risen to 20.5% of the total in 2025, driven by an aging population and economic pressures affecting marriage rates.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-single-person-households-rise-to-205-of-total

### 2026-08-24: Turkey aging population reaches historic high

Turkey's elderly population has reached a record 11.1 percent, prompting the Ministry of Family and Social Services to expand nursing home capacity and infrastructure to meet rising demand.

10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-population-reaches-86-million-amid-aging-demographic-shift

### 2026-08-21: Turkey population ages as elderly share hits record 11.1%

Turkey's population is aging rapidly, with the median age rising to 34.9 and the elderly population (65+) reaching a record 11.1%, according to TÜİK data.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-population-ages-as-elderly-share-hits-record-111

---
Cite as: Turkey demographic aging and population shifts. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkey-demographic-aging-and-population-shifts