Huge number of Turks move within Turkey due to housing pressures in 2024, as reported by TurkStat, with approximately half a million individuals changing residences.
In a significant shift, new data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) on July 11, 2024, reveals a substantial internal migration wave in Turkey, with over 2.6 million people relocating from one province to another. This trend, primarily driven by younger generations, is centred around education, employment, and housing.
The 20-24 age group emerged as the most mobile demographic, accounting for the largest share of movers in 2024. Education was the top reason for movement in this demographic, cited by 209,040 individuals, followed by starting or finding a job (84,328 people) and seeking better housing and living conditions (44,319 people).
The search for better housing conditions among young migrants suggests that property ownership—or lack thereof—influences mobility decisions. Young adults seeking better housing are likely renting initially, which allows more flexibility to migrate internally for opportunities. Once settled and owning property, mobility tends to decline.
Economic factors also play a crucial role in migration patterns. The share of those moving for housing-related reasons rose from 15% of total internal migrants in 2023 to 19% in 2024. Nearly 90,000 people moved to another province in 2024 due to property purchases.
Major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir continue to attract the most migrants, given their greater educational and labor market offerings. Istanbul, in particular, saw both the highest number of people moving out (581,330) and moving in (395,485).
Family-related reasons were the most common driver behind this migration, with 579,507 individuals moving due to dependence on a family member. Interestingly, Ardahan recorded the lowest migration figures, with just 6,441 outbound and 4,570 inbound migrants.
This data elucidates the interplay between life-stage incentives, socioeconomic factors, and property status in shaping internal migration patterns in Turkey. As the country continues to evolve, it will be interesting to observe how these trends develop in the future.
- In contrast to the low migration numbers in Ardahan, major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, known for their educational and job opportunities, continue to attract the most internal migrants in Turkey.
- Istanbul, specifically, shows a high influx and outflow of people, with 395,485 moving in and 581,330 moving out.
- The Turkish Statistical Institute's latest data indicates that family-related reasons are the most common drivers of internal migration, with 579,507 individuals moving due to family dependency.
- Economic factors, particularly property ownership, also significantly influence migration patterns in Turkey. The share of people moving for housing-related reasons has risen from 15% to 19% between 2023 and 2024.
- In 2024, nearly 90,000 people moved to another province due to property purchases, highlighting the critical role property status plays in migration decisions among young adults.
- Education is a significant factor contributing to internal migration in Turkey, with the 20-24 age group accounting for the largest share of movers. Of these young adults, 209,040 individuals moved for educational reasons.
