Rising single-person Turkish households shrink average home sizes

ISTANBUL

Changing demographics, rising costs and urban transformation are reshaping housing trends in Türkiye, with smaller household sizes contributing to a steady decline in average home space.

According to the latest data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the country’s average household size fell from four people in 2008 to 3.08 in 2025. Over the same period, the share of single-person households rose sharply, from 13.9 percent in 2014 to 20.5 percent in 2025, influencing housing preferences and demand.

A study by İstanbul İstanbul Gayrimenkul Değerleme (İGD) found that the average home size decreased from 122.2 square meters in 2010 to 101.9 square meters in 2025. When excluding detached houses and focusing on apartment units, the decline was more pronounced, with average sizes shrinking from 121 square meters to 97 square meters over the same period.

While apartments have become smaller, detached homes showed a different trend until recently. The average size of detached houses peaked at 216.4 square meters in 2023, before declining in the past two years. The average stood at 199.4 square meters in 2014 and fell to 183.1 square meters in 2025.

Among Türkiye’s three largest cities, Ankara recorded the largest average home size at 116 square meters. Istanbul followed with an average of 92.8 square meters, while İzmir registered 82.2 square meters. In 2024, the figures were higher, at around 130 square meters in Ankara, 98 in Istanbul and 84 in İzmir.