Turkey's Elderly Population Surges to 11.1% in 2025, Projected to Keep Rising

Turkey's population aged 65 and over has reached 11.1% of the total population in 2025, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). This marks a significant increase from 9.5% in 2020, with the number of elderly individuals now standing at 9,583,059, representing a 20.5% rise.

Demographic projections indicate a continued upward trend for this age group. The elderly population is expected to constitute 13.5% of the total by 2030, climb to 17.9% by 2040, and potentially reach 27% by 2060. This demographic shift is primarily attributed to declining birth and death rates, alongside advancements in healthcare.

Within the elderly demographic, women comprise 55.3%, while men account for 44.7%. The median age in Turkey has also increased, rising from 32.7 in 2020 to 34.9 in 2025.

The old-age dependency ratio, which measures the number of elderly individuals per 100 working-age people, has grown from 14.1% in 2020 to 16.2% in 2025. This ratio is projected to reach 45.5% by 2060, highlighting a growing societal challenge.

Globally, Turkey ranks 75th out of 194 countries in terms of its elderly population ratio as of 2025. Domestically, Sinop province records the highest proportion of elderly residents at 21.7%, while Şırnak has the lowest at 3.8%. Furthermore, 26.1% of households in Turkey include at least one elderly member, with 1,836,496 of these households consisting solely of elderly individuals.