Elderly population share continues to rise in Türkiye, data shows

ANKARA

Türkiye’s elderly population, defined as individuals aged 65 and over, now accounts for 11.1 percent of the total, signaling a steady demographic shift as fertility rates decline and life expectancy rises, according to the country’s official statistics office.

This marks a significant increase from 9.5 percent recorded in 2020, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) said on March 12, with Türkiye now ranking 75th among 194 countries with its elderly population share.

According to the statistics, women account for the majority of this group, representing 55.3 percent, while men make up 44.7 percent.

Experts say the shift reflects Türkiye’s entry into a global aging process known as demographic transformation. As birth rates and mortality rates decline and healthcare improves, the share of children and young people is shrinking while the proportion of older adults continues to grow.

One indicator of this shift is the country’s median age, which rose from 32.7 in 2020 to 34.9 in 2025.

According to the data, the northern province of Sinop recorded the highest proportion of elderly residents at 21.7 percent. At the other end of the scale, the youngest population structures were seen in the southeastern province of Şırnak.

Overall, 62 of the country’s 81 provinces now have an elderly population share above 10 percent, a level considered an indicator of population aging.

Life expectancy at birth in Türkiye was 78.1 years, according to recent life tables, with women living longer than men.

Household data show that about one in four households includes at least one elderly person, while 1.8 million older adults live alone. Nearly three-quarters of those living alone are women.

Family ties remain strong: 37.9 percent of elderly people live in the same household as at least one of their children, while others live nearby in the same building, street or district.

Despite improvements, 22.8 percent of elderly people face a risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to household living conditions statistics.

At the same time, older people are becoming increasingly connected. The share of individuals aged 65–74 who use the internet rose sharply from 27.1 percent in 2020 to 53.2 percent in 2025, with men using the internet more frequently than women.