Bu içerik Türkçe olarak yazılmış olup yapay zeka ile otomatik olarak İngilizceye çevrilmiştir.
Türkiye was long considered among countries with a young population. However, recent demographic indicators point to a different picture. The Turkish Statistical Institute’s (TÜİK) report “Elderly People in Statistics 2025” reveals that Türkiye’s population is increasingly aging and the proportion of elderly people within society is growing.
The report presents striking data across numerous topics, from the size of the elderly population to living conditions, health indicators and technology use.
In Türkiye, the population aged 65 and over increased by 20.5 percent over the past five years, reaching 9,583,059 people.
Their share of the total population has also risen. The elderly population ratio, which was 9.5 percent in 2020, reached 11.1 percent in 2025.
Elderly population ratio, 1950-2100 - TÜİK
In demography, there is a significant threshold: when the elderly population ratio exceeds 10 percent, a country is considered to have entered an aging process. Türkiye has now surpassed this threshold.
Population projections also indicate that this trend will continue. If current trends persist, the elderly population ratio is projected to reach approximately 18 percent by 2040 and exceed 33 percent by 2080.
One of the key indicators of population aging is the median age.
In Türkiye, the median age rose from 32.7 in 2020 to 34.9 in 2025.
This reflects a shift upward in the overall age distribution of the population. In other words, the population structure is gradually moving toward an older profile.
Additionally, the old-age dependency ratio has increased. This ratio, which measures the number of elderly people per 100 working-age individuals, has risen to 16.2 percent.
Elderly population ratio by age group, 2020, 2025 - TÜİK
According to United Nations data, 10.4 percent of the world’s population was elderly in 2025.
The countries with the highest elderly population ratios include Monaco, Japan and Italy.
Türkiye ranks 75th among 194 countries.
This table shows that Türkiye does not yet have a very elderly population, but it has entered a rapid aging process.
The distribution of the elderly population also varies significantly across Türkiye.
According to 2025 data, the province with the highest elderly population ratio is Sinop at 21.7 percent, followed by Kastamonu (21.1 percent) and Giresun (20.0 percent).
Conversely, the provinces with the lowest elderly population ratios are:
When examining the map of Türkiye, it is evident that the elderly population is particularly concentrated in the Black Sea region and certain western Anatolian provinces.
The five provinces with the highest and lowest elderly population ratios, 2025 - TÜİK
Another notable statistic in the report is life expectancy. A person in Türkiye who reaches age 65 can expect to live an additional 18 years on average.
This figure is:
Thus, women are expected to live an average of 3.3 years longer than men.
In Türkiye, approximately one in four households includes at least one elderly person. This proportion is calculated at 26.1 percent. Additionally, 1,836,496 elderly people live alone.
The majority of this group are women:
The province with the highest proportion of elderly people living alone is Balıkesir.
A significant portion of elderly people in Türkiye live near their children.
According to the data, 37.9 percent of elderly people live at the same address as at least one of their children.
However, 14.3 percent of elderly people living alone do not have any children residing in the same province.
This situation is considered an important indicator of elderly people’s social support networks.
As of 2024, 88.4 percent of the elderly population in Türkiye can read and write.
Among elderly people, primary school graduates form the largest group at 46.7 percent.
Civil status data also reveal a striking pattern.
Of elderly women, 44.9 percent have lost their spouse, compared to 10.6 percent of elderly men.
In other words, the proportion of widowed women is approximately four times higher than that of widowed men.
Elderly population ratio by province, 2025 - TÜİK
In Türkiye, 22.8 percent of the elderly population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
The labor force participation rate among the elderly is 13.1 percent.
This rate is:
The majority of employed elderly people work in agriculture (56.9 percent).
According to 2024 data, the leading cause of death among the elderly is diseases of the circulatory system (39.9 percent).
This is followed by:
A significant change is also occurring in technology use. The proportion of people aged 65 to 74 using the internet rose from 27.1 percent in 2020 to 53.2 percent in 2025.
This increase is highly notable.
However, a gender gap in usage persists:
TÜİK’s report “Elderly People in Statistics 2025” shows that Türkiye has entered a new demographic phase.
The increasing number and proportion of elderly people is a development that directly affects many areas, from healthcare systems and social policies to urban planning and pension systems.
Although Türkiye still has a population structure that can be considered relatively young, the data indicate that the weight of the elderly population within society will continue to grow in the coming years.
The Elderly Population in Türkiye Is Rapidly Increasing
The Median Age of the Population Is Rising
Where Does Türkiye Stand in Global Rankings?
The Oldest and Youngest Provinces in Türkiye
Average Life Expectancy After Age 65
Lifestyle of the Elderly in Türkiye
Living with Family
Education and Civil Status
Elderly People in the Labor Market and Poverty
Leading Causes of Death Among the Elderly
Elderly People and the Internet: Faster Growth Than Expected