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Türkiye witnessed a substantial internal migration wave in 2024, with 2.6 million people relocating from one province to another, largely in search of better housing and living conditions, according to newly released data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) on Monday.
However, family-related reasons remained the most common driver behind this surge, as 579,507 individuals moved due to dependence on a family member, while 512,370 cited a desire for better housing and improved living conditions.
Although this marked a slight decrease from 518,016 in 2023, the share of those moving for housing-related reasons rose from 15% of total internal migrants in 2023 to 19% in 2024.
Türkiye’s largest cities, particularly Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, remained central to the country’s migration flows. While Istanbul saw both the highest number of people moving out (581,330) and moving in (395,485) in 2024, similar patterns were observed in the capital Ankara (202,402 inbound, 150,373 outbound) and Izmir (117,889 inbound, 102,040 outbound).
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Ardahan recorded the lowest migration figures, with just 6,441 outbound and 4,570 inbound migrants.
In addition to those seeking better rental or living standards, nearly 90,000 people moved to another province after purchasing a home there. Of these, 20,237 relocated to Istanbul following a property acquisition, while approximately 4,000 individuals in Ankara reported the same reason.
Nationwide, the number of people changing provinces due to a new home purchase reached 89,858 in 2024, highlighting the influence of property ownership on residential mobility.
The demographic breakdown reveals that internal migration in Türkiye is primarily led by younger individuals. The 20–24 age group accounted for the largest share, with 549,043 people moving in 2024. Within this group, 58.1% were women and 41.9% were men.
The second-highest migration activity occurred among individuals aged 15–19, representing 14% of the total, followed closely by those aged 50 and above, who comprised 13% of all movers.
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