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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Employment statistics on the Community Housing & Homeless Shelters industry in United States

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

Between 2022 and 2023, New Hampshire had the highest positive percentage change in the estimated number of homeless people in the United States, with the number of homeless people living in New Hampshire increasing by **** percent within this time period.

This covers all downloadable and backing information available at the NCHE data page. This includes PDF forms (profiles) breaking out statistics by state and year up to SY 16- 17, and summaries by state combining SY 19- 20 through 21- 22 (the latter are web page snapshots). The archive also includes a national fiscal summary, and a PDF snapshot of the web page summarizing national statistics. Finally, the archive bundles the HTML of each state s web page (redundant with PDF snapshots), and the script used for downloading the pages and original PDF files in bulk. As data published directly by a US Government department, this is in the public domain. NCHE Website:

This data package has the purpose to offer data for socio-economic indicators and to cover as much as possible the entire this indicator category with regard to the indicator type and to the geographic level. The major sources of the data are the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics. Another used sources of data are the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Housing and the U.S. Department Of Agriculture (Economic Research Service).

"Ratio of Homeless Population to General Population in major US Cities in 2009. *This represents a list of large U.S. cities with a similar street count methodology for which DHS was able to confirm a recent Census; 2009 results are not yet available for LA, SF, and Chicago. All population figures are from the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimate."

Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for United States was 12.50% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for United States reached a record high of 15.90 in January of 2011 and a record low of 11.30 in January of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for United States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

The DC Metropolitan Area Drug Study (DCMADS) was
conducted in 1991, and included special analyses of homeless and
transient populations and of women delivering live births in the DC
hospitals. DCMADS was undertaken to assess the full extent of the
drug problem in one metropolitan area. The study was comprised of 16
separate studies that focused on different sub-groups, many of which
are typically not included or are underrepresented in household
surveys. The Homeless and Transient Population
study examines the prevalence of illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco
use among members of the homeless and transient population aged 12 and
older in the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Statistical Area (DC
MSA). The sample frame included respondents from shelters, soup
kitchens and food banks, major cluster encampments, and literally
homeless people. Data from the questionnaires include history of
homelessness, living arrangements and population movement, tobacco,
drug, and alcohol use, consequences of use, treatment history, illegal
behavior and arrest, emergency room treatment and hospital stays,
physical and mental health, pregnancy, insurance, employment and
finances, and demographics. Drug specific data include age at first
use, route of administration, needle use, withdrawal symptoms,
polysubstance use, and perceived risk.This study has 1 Data Set.

In the United States in 2023, **** percent of the homeless population living in El Dorado County, California were unsheltered.

A feature layer of the United States with data by state on the 2013 homeless population and the change in homeless population between 2012 and 2013

Homelessness Report January 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....