Poverty in Türkiye remains concerning despite slight improvement in 2024
File photo shows silhouetted pedestrians cross a striped crosswalk. (AA Photo)
According to “Poverty and Living Conditions Statistics of 2024” released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) on Monday, despite slight improvements recorded in 2024, poverty and social deprivation remained at dramatic levels.
In 2024, the at-risk-of-poverty rate, based on a poverty threshold of 50% of the median equivalized household disposable income, reached 13.6%, affecting 11.457 million individuals, with a slight increase of 0.1 percentage points compared to 2023.
On the other hand, severe material and social deprivation rate decreased by 1.1 percentage points in 2024, falling from 14.4% to 13.3%.
To measure material and social deprivation, TurkStat evaluates several household-level variables, including:
- Inability to cover unexpected financial expenses
- Affording a one-week annual holiday away from home
- Meeting mortgage or rent payments
- Consuming meat, chicken, or fish every other day
- Maintaining adequate home heating
- Replacing worn furniture
- Owning a car
Child poverty remains serious
The rate of individuals at risk of poverty or social exclusion—defined as those experiencing relative poverty, severe material and social deprivation, or low work intensity—stood at 29.3% in 2024.
Age group analysis revealed significant disparities as the child group led the list:
- 38.9% among children aged 0–17
- 26.3% among adults aged 18–64
- 23.3% of individuals aged 65 and over
Financial burdens on households
Debt-related challenges eased in 2024 however 56.8% of the population had outstanding installments or loans (excluding mortgages and housing costs), a decrease of 1.2 percentage points from the previous year.
Among these individuals:
- 5.2% faced no financial burden,
- 39.1% reported a slight burden, and
- 12.5% experienced a heavy burden.
According to TurkStat’s statement, in determining income and poverty levels, household income is adjusted to an equivalent household disposable income by factoring in the household’s size and composition, ensuring a more accurate comparison of living standards across different household structures.
