Istanbul’s most crowded district rejects its image of crime hub

ISTANBUL

Long framed in public debate as a hot spot for crime and disorder, Istanbul’s most populous district, Esenyurt, is fighting to shed its stigma by centering its identity on industrial power and working-class resilience, even as residents navigate the growing pains of rapid urbanization and rising costs.

According to official data, Esenyurt’s population has climbed to around 1 million, making it not only the largest district in Türkiye, but more populous than dozens of entire provinces and even several countries.

For Can Aksoy, the district’s acting mayor, the milestone is a mixed blessing.

“Passing one million brings pride, but also serious responsibility,” he said, noting that extreme density inevitably produces chronic urban problems.

Local surveys, he added, show that traffic and transportation top residents’ complaints — an unsurprising outcome in a district that produces nearly 7 percent of Türkiye’s total industrial output and attracts hundreds of thousands of daily commuters.

However, Aksoy argues that Esenyurt’s reputation for crime is misleading.

“We are ranked 17th in Istanbul in terms of public security, but on television we are portrayed as if we are number one,” he said, pointing out that the district’s daytime population approaches 1.5 million due to industrial activity.

New police stations, expanded surveillance systems and a 24/7 monitoring model are planned, with the stated aim of pushing Esenyurt further down the crime rankings.

What the district wants to be known for, Aksoy stressed, is production.

“We are first in industrial output. [Turkish defense company] Baykar manufactures here. Esenyurt is a city of workers.”

Esenyurt’s growth is driven by a mix of internal migration, foreign arrivals and large, multi-generational households.

Its relatively affordable housing compared with central Istanbul continues to draw people from across Türkiye, as well as migrants seeking proximity to jobs in nearby industrial zones.

That demand is reshaping the real estate market.

Property professionals say housing demand has never slowed, particularly for small apartments near the metrobus line.

According to real estate consultant Murat Kaya, the district also remains a magnet for investors.

Investors, Kaya added, are attracted by high yields and short amortization periods — even as new construction has slowed due to rising building costs.

On the street, reactions are mixed.

Residents acknowledge that the crowds are good for business but say the district has lost the calm it once had.

"Now, it’s a bit too crowded. The biggest issue we face is the rent,” said Mirali Akkaya, who has run a hair salon in the district for eight years.

Serkan Mutlukan, a local delivery courier, expressed a sense of displacement.

"I no longer feel like I’m in my own hometown," he said. "The presence of foreign nationals is particularly high in Esenyurt."

Local authorities say they are trying to offset density with livability: Expanding green spaces, converting idle plots into small parks and planning major new investments.

Yet they concede that Esenyurt has little room left to expand outward.