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.

Yearly statewide and by-Continuum of Care total counts of individuals receiving homeless response services by age group, race, gender, veteran status, and disability status.

This data comes from the Homelessness Data Integration System (HDIS), a statewide data warehouse which compiles and processes data from all 44 California Continuums of Care (CoC)—regional homelessness service coordination and planning bodies. Each CoC collects data about the people it serves through its programs, such as homelessness prevention services, street outreach services, permanent housing interventions and a range of other strategies aligned with California’s Housing First objectives.

The dataset uploaded reflects the 2024 HUD Data Standard Changes. Previously, Race and Ethnicity were separate files but are now combined.

Information updated as of 7/29/2025.

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.

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

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

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.

"Ratio of Homeless Population to General Population in major US Cities in 2011. *This represents a list of large U.S. cities for which DHS was able to confirm a recent estimate of the unsheltered population. A 2011 result is available for Seattle, WA, Miami, FL, and Boston, MA.. 2011 results are not yet available for the other cities, and their 2009 data are displayed in this chart. General population figures are 2010 estimates in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, and 2009 estimates elsewhere."

In 2023, about 87.8 percent of the estimated number of homeless veterans in the United States were male, compared to 11.2 percent who were female.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

"Ratio of Homeless Population to General Population in major US Cities in 2010. *This represents a list of large U.S. cities for which DHS was able to confirm a recent estimate of the unsheltered population. A 2010 result is only available for Seattle, WA. Other cities either did not conduct a count in 2010, or their 2010 results are not yet available. 2009 unsheltered census figures were used for Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Washington, DC, and Boston; the 2007 estimate is used for Chicago. General population figures are the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau."

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.

The number of deaths of homeless people in England and Wales, by sex, five-year age group and underlying cause of death, 2013 to 2021 registrations. Experimental Statistics.

Survey on Homeless Persons: Sampling errors relating to the homeless population by type of accommodation and age grou. National.

SCC_HomelessPop_2015

Compares demographic characteristics of COVID respite and hotel shelters operating March 2020 to June 2022 with all single adults in shelters and total homeless population from the point-in-time count on 1/23/2020 and total county population from the US Census American Community Survey for 2018. Multiracial American Indians are counted in "American Indian" for the respite and hotel shelters and singles shelters whereas all multiracial persons in other data sets are counted in the category "Multiracial".