In 2023, there were about ******* homeless people estimated to be living in the United States, the highest number of homeless people recorded within the provided time period. In comparison, the second-highest number of homeless people living in the U.S. within this time period was in 2007, at *******. How is homelessness calculated? Calculating homelessness is complicated for several different reasons. For one, it is challenging to determine how many people are homeless as there is no direct definition for homelessness. Additionally, it is difficult to try and find every single homeless person that exists. Sometimes they cannot be reached, leaving people unaccounted for. In the United States, the Department of Housing and Urban Development calculates the homeless population by counting the number of people on the streets and the number of people in homeless shelters on one night each year. According to this count, Los Angeles City and New York City are the cities with the most homeless people in the United States. Homelessness in the United States Between 2022 and 2023, New Hampshire saw the highest increase in the number of homeless people. However, California was the state with the highest number of homeless people, followed by New York and Florida. The vast amount of homelessness in California is a result of multiple factors, one of them being the extreme high cost of living, as well as opposition to mandatory mental health counseling and drug addiction. However, the District of Columbia had the highest estimated rate of homelessness per 10,000 people in 2023. This was followed by New York, Vermont, and Oregon.

In 2023, there were an estimated ******* white homeless people in the United States, the most out of any ethnicity. In comparison, there were around ******* Black or African American homeless people in the U.S. How homelessness is counted The actual number of homeless individuals in the U.S. is difficult to measure. The Department of Housing and Urban Development uses point-in-time estimates, where employees and volunteers count both sheltered and unsheltered homeless people during the last 10 days of January. However, it is very likely that the actual number of homeless individuals is much higher than the estimates, which makes it difficult to say just how many homeless there are in the United States. Unsheltered homeless in the United States California is well-known in the U.S. for having a high homeless population, and Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego all have high proportions of unsheltered homeless people. While in many states, the Department of Housing and Urban Development says that there are more sheltered homeless people than unsheltered, this estimate is most likely in relation to the method of estimation.

The graph displays the estimated number of homeless people in the United States from 2007 to 2024. The x-axis represents the years, ranging from 2007 to 2023, while the y-axis indicates the number of homeless individuals. The estimated homeless population varies over this period, ranging from a low of 57,645 in 2014 to a high of 771,000 in 2024. From 2007 to 2013, there is a general decline in numbers from 647,258 to 590,364. In 2014, the number drops significantly to 57,645, followed by an increase to 564,708 in 2015. The data shows fluctuations in subsequent years, with another notable low of 55,283 in 2018. From 2019 onwards, the estimated number of homeless people generally increases, reaching its peak in 2024. This data highlights fluctuations in homelessness estimates over the years, with a recent upward trend in the homeless population.

The graph displays the top 15 states by an estimated number of homeless people in the United States for the year 2025. The x-axis represents U.S. states, while the y-axis shows the number of homeless individuals in each state. California has the highest homeless population with 187,084 individuals, followed by New York with 158,019, while Hawaii places last in this dataset with 11,637. This bar graph highlights significant differences across states, with some states like California and New York showing notably higher counts compared to others, indicating regional disparities in homelessness levels across the country.

In 2023, about **** percent of the estimated number of homeless individuals in the United States were male, compared to ** percent who were female.

Table of homeless population by Year (for years 2009 through 2012)

Homelessness is a social crisis in the United States of America. According to McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act, homeless people are those who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. "Ratio of Homeless Population to General Population in major US Cities in 2012.

When analyzing the ratio of homelessness to state population, New York, Vermont, and Oregon had the highest rates in 2023. However, Washington, D.C. had an estimated ** homeless individuals per 10,000 people, which was significantly higher than any of the 50 states. Homeless people by race The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development performs homeless counts at the end of January each year, which includes people in both sheltered and unsheltered locations. The estimated number of homeless people increased to ******* in 2023 – the highest level since 2007. However, the true figure is likely to be much higher, as some individuals prefer to stay with family or friends - making it challenging to count the actual number of homeless people living in the country. In 2023, nearly half of the people experiencing homelessness were white, while the number of Black homeless people exceeded *******. How many veterans are homeless in America? The  number of homeless veterans in the United States has halved since 2010. The state of California, which is currently suffering a homeless crisis, accounted for the highest number of homeless veterans in 2022. There are many causes of homelessness among veterans of the U.S. military, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse problems, and a lack of affordable housing.

This dataset provides information on individuals experiencing sheltered or unsheltered homelessness in the Austin/Travis County Continuum of Care (CoC) on a single night in January when the Point in Time (PIT) Count occurs. "Sheltered" homelessness refers to individuals residing in emergency shelter, safe haven, or transitional housing project types. Unsheltered homelessness refers to individuals with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground on the night designated for the count. This measure overlaps, but is different from, the annual count of sheltered homelessness in HMIS (SD23 Measure EOA.E.1b). Data Source: The data for this measure was reported to the City of Austin by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO). Each year, ECHO, as the homeless Continuum of Care Lead Agency (CoC Lead), aggregates and reports community wide data (including this measure) to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This data is referred to as System Performance Measures as they are designed to examine how well a community is responding to homelessness at a system level. View more details and insights related to this data set on the story page: https://data.austintexas.gov/stories/s/hjiv-t2tm Last Updated December 2020 with data for 2020 PIT Count.

Data Prepared by Los Angeles Homeless Services AuthorityJune 26, 2019Homeless Count 2019 Dashboard MethodologyTotal number of people experiencing homelessness is the sum of (1) the sheltered population (the total number of people staying in emergency shelter, transitional housing, or safe haven programs on the night of the point-in-time count) and (2) the unsheltered population (the total number of people counted by volunteers and the estimated number of people sleeping in the dwellings counted by volunteers).

(1) The total number of people experiencing homelessness who slept in an emergency shelter, transitional housing, or safe haven program was reported to LAHSA by each provider and assigned to a census tract. For shelter programs with multiple scattered sites in the LA CoC, an administrative address is used for locating the sheltered population in this dashboard. Shelters that serve persons fleeing domestic or intimate partner violence are excluded due to confidentiality concerns. Persons receiving motel vouchers are excluded in this dashboard because the location of the motel is unknown.

(2) The total number of people experiencing homelessness who slept on the street or in a dwelling not meant for human habitation were counted by volunteers on January 22nd, 23rd, or 24th. 3,873 demographic survey interviews were conducted with persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness from December 2018 to March 2019 to describe the population’s demographics and approximate the number of people in each dwelling. The total persons in uninhabitable dwellings was estimated for each type (car, van, camper/RV, tent, or makeshift shelter) and was estimated at the SPA-level for individual and for family households and can be found on our website. Estimates of the people inside these dwellings was rounded to whole numbers for the purposes of this dashboard.Density ScoringThere are 4 columns seen in the data that represent the density of homeless Individuals per square mile. The 4 column labeled RFP-Scoring is based on the data range between the min and max of homeless calculated of LA County's Homeless Individual numbers. For break down the data is given a specific score based on the density. Below are the ranges:0=01= 1-32= 4-73= 8-114= 12-185= 19-276= 28-427= 43-638= 64-999= 100-17910= 180-5341The breakdown of the data used was quantitative statistical range for 11 categories, 0 being one of the ranges.

Each year, homeless coalitions across the country conduct a Point in Time Count (PIT) during the same 24-hour period in January to estimate the number of persons experiencing homelessness living in their region. The PIT count includes those living in emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, and those living unsheltered on the street. The PIT count does not include homeless families and youth who are doubled up with family or friends, or those at imminent risk of becoming homeless. The numbers are a “snapshot” on a single day rather than a definitive count. Despite these limitations, the count helps communities plan for programs and services, identifies gaps in the homeless system, and provides demographic information about populations who experience homelessness.

This dataset includes key measures that have been counted during each PIT since 2019. This dataset will be updated annually.

This dataset provides information on individuals experiencing sheltered homelessness in the Austin/Travis County Continuum of Care (CoC) in a given fiscal year. "Sheltered" homelessness refers to individuals residing in emergency shelter, safe haven, or transitional housing project types. This measure overlaps, but is different from, the Point in Time (PIT) Count (SD23 Measure EOA.E.1a), which is a snapshot of both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness on one night in January.

Data Source: The data for this measure was reported to the City of Austin by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO). Each year, ECHO, as the homeless Continuum of Care Lead Agency (CoC Lead), aggregates and reports community wide data (including this measure) to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This data is referred to as System Performance Measures as they are designed to examine how well a community is responding to homelessness at a system level.

View more details and insights related to this data set on the story page: https://data.austintexas.gov/stories/s/2ejn-hrh2

This dataset provides estimates for the total number of people experiencing homelessness as the sum of the sheltered population (the total number of people staying in emergency shelter, transitional housing, or safe haven programs on the night of the point-in-time count) and the unsheltered population (the total number of people counted by volunteers and the estimated number of people sleeping in the dwellings counted by volunteers) per census tract in 2019. Information like this may be useful for studying homeless populations.(1) The total number of people experiencing homelessness who slept in an emergency shelter, transitional housing, or safe haven program was reported to LAHSA by each provider and assigned to a census tract. For shelter programs with multiple scattered sites in the LA CoC, an administrative address is used for locating the sheltered population in this dashboard. Shelters that serve persons fleeing domestic or intimate partner violence are excluded due to confidentiality concerns. Persons receiving motel vouchers are excluded in this dashboard because the location of the motel is unknown. (2) The total number of people experiencing homelessness who slept on the street or in a dwelling not meant for human habitation were counted by volunteers on January 22nd, 23rd, or 24th. 3,873 demographic survey interviews were conducted with persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness from December 2018 to March 2019 to describe the population’s demographics and approximate the number of people in each dwelling. The total persons in uninhabitable dwellings was estimated for each type (car, van, camper/RV, tent, or makeshift shelter) and was estimated at the SPA-level for individual and for family households and can be found on our website. Estimates of the people inside these dwellings was rounded to whole numbers for the purposes of this dashboard.Spatial Extent: Los Angeles CountySpatial Unit: Census TractCreated: 2019Updated: n/aSource: Los Angeles Homeless Services AuthorityContact Telephone: 213-683-3333Contact Email: datasupport@lahsa.orgSource Link:https://www.lahsa.orgAPI Source Link: https://geohub.lacity.org/datasets/homeless-count-los-angeles-county-2019?geometry=-120.792%2C33.011%2C-115.783%2C34.609

This report outlines the key findings of the annual Point-In-Time (PIT) count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC) conducted in January of each year. Specifically, this report provides estimates of homelessness self-reported, as well as estimates of chronically homeless persons, homeless veterans, and homeless children and youth.

Current link at the time of dataset creation: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/4832/2015-ahar-part-1-pit-estimates-of-homelessness/

According to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's definition, homelessness includes individuals and families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. A homeless count provides a "snapshot in time" to quantify the size of the homeless population at a specific point during the year. Regardless of how successful outreach efforts are, an undercount of people experiencing homelessness is possible. Counts includes persons experiencing unsheltered and sheltered homelessness. Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count occurred in the nights of February 22, 23 and 24, 2022. Glendale's count occurred in the morning and evening of February 25, 2022. Long Beach's count occurred in the early morning of February 24, 2022. Pasadena's count occurred in the evening of February 22, 2022 and morning of February 23, 2022. Data not available for Los Angeles City neighborhoods and unincorporated Los Angeles County; LAHSA does not recommend aggregating census tract-level data to calculate numbers for other geographic levels.Housing affordability is a major concern for many Los Angeles County residents. Housing burden can increase the risk for homelessness. Individuals experiencing homelessness experience disproportionately higher rates of certain health conditions, such as tuberculosis, HIV infection, alcohol and drug abuse, and mental illness. Barriers to accessing care and limited access to resources contribute greatly to these observed disparities.For more information about the Community Health Profiles Data Initiative, please see the initiative homepage.

This report displays the data communities reported to HUD about the nature of and amount of persons who are homeless as part of HUD's Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. This data is self-reported by communities to HUD as part of its competitive Continuum of Care application process. The website allows users to select PIT data from 2005 to present. Users can use filter by CoC, states, or the entire nation.

This dataset contains estimates of homelessness, as well as estimates of chronically homeless persons, homeless veterans, and homeless children and youth provided by The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The estimates cover the period of years 2007-2017 and are at national, state and Continuums of Care (CoC) Point-In-Time (PIT) level.

Homelessness Report April 2025. Published by Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 4.0 (CC-BY-SA-4.0).Homelessness data Official homelessness data is produced by local authorities through the Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS). PASS was rolled-out nationally during the course of 2013. The Department’s official homelessness statistics are published on a monthly basis and refer to the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by housing authorities during a specific count week, typically the last full week of the month. The reports are produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), collated on a regional basis and compiled and published by the Department. Homelessness reporting commenced in this format in 2014. The format of the data may change or vary over time due to administrative and/or technology changes and improvements. The administration of homeless services is organised across nine administrative regions, with one local authority in each of the regions, “the lead authority”, having overall responsibility for the disbursement of Exchequer funding. In each region a Joint Homelessness Consultative Forum exists which includes representation from the relevant State and non-governmental organisations involved in the delivery of homeless services in a particular region. Delegated arrangements are governed by an annually agreed protocol between the Department and the lead authority in each region. These protocols set out the arrangements, responsibilities and financial/performance data reporting requirements for the delegation of funding from the Department. Under Sections 38 and 39 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 a statutory Management Group exists for each regional forum. This is comprised of representatives from the relevant housing authorities and the Health Service Executive, and it is the responsibility of the Management Group to consider issues around the need for homeless services and to plan for the implementation, funding and co-ordination of such services. In relation to the terms used in the report for the accommodation types see explanation below: PEA - Private Emergency Accommodation: this may include hotels, B&Bs and other residential facilities that are used on an emergency basis. Supports are provided to services users on a visiting supports basis. STA - Supported Temporary Accommodation: accommodation, including family hubs, hostels, with onsite professional support. TEA - Temporary Emergency Accommodation: emergency accommodation with no (or minimal) support....

In 2023, the estimated number of homeless people in the United States was highest in California, with about ******* homeless people living in California in that year.