Examining Education, Culture, Health, and Workforce Characteristics of Turkish Provinces: A Cluster-Based Analysis

Year 2026, Volume: 13 Issue: 1 , 277 - 291 , 19.02.2026

Elif Mutlu , Serhat Peker , Ümit Kuvvetli

https://doi.org/10.26650/JEPR1785376

https://izlik.org/JA92BP46LL

Abstract

This study examines the education, culture, health, and workforce characteristics of Turkish provinces through a cluster-based analytical approach. Using data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUİK) and the Ministry of Health, we assess provincial-level performance across a diverse set of social development indicators. The clustering analysis identifies groups of provinces with similar profiles, highlighting regional disparities and patterns in the distribution of public services and labour market conditions. The results show that metropolitan provinces form a highly developed cluster characterised by strong economic capacity and population growth, while several clusters reflect structurally disadvantaged regions with low economic performance, negative net migration, and limited social infrastructure. In addition, some provinces exhibit relatively high education and cultural indicators despite weaker economic outcomes, underscoring the heterogeneous nature of regional development in Türkiye. Overall, the findings provide a nuanced spatial classification of provinces and offer policy-relevant insights for designing cluster-specific regional development strategies and more equitable resource allocation.

Keywords

Cluster Analysis , Data-Driven Policy , Regional Development , Social Indicators , Socioeconomic Profiling

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