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 73 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 653,104 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 243,000. 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.

In 2023, there were about 653,104 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 647,258. 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 324,854 white homeless people in the United States, the most out of any ethnicity. In comparison, there were around 243,624 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.

In 2023, about 68.4 percent of the estimated number of homeless individuals in the United States were male, compared to 30 percent who were female.

In 2023, the estimated number of homeless people in the United States was highest in California, with about 181,399 homeless people living in California in that year.

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 52.1 percent within this time period.

In the United States in 2023, 89.2 percent of the homeless population living in El Dorado County, California were unsheltered.

This statistic depicts the rate of homeless individuals in the United States in 2017, by metropolitan area. In 2017, the rate of homelessness per 10,000 individuals was highest in New York City, at 88.7.

In 2023, 7.3 percent of the estimated number of homeless individuals in the United States were between the ages of 18 and 24, while 0.7 percent were under 18.

In 2021, 24.3 percent of homeless people lived in housing before entering a shelter in the United States. In that same year, 9.8 percent of homeless people were living in institutional settings before entering a shelter.

As of 2023, almost half of people surveyed in the United States felt homeless people were discriminated against to a great deal, while a further third believed they were discriminated against a fair amount. Meanwhile, less than one fifth of the respondents thought homeless people do not face much discrimination.

In 2022, 61.5 percent of chronically homeless people in the United States were unsheltered, making them the demographic most likely to be unsheltered when experiencing homelessness. In comparison, homeless people in families were least likely to be unsheltered in that year, at 10.8 percent.

In the 2020/21 school year, 76.8 percent of public school students experiencing homelessness in the United States were 'doubled up', defined as living temporarily with others due to loss of their own housing, for their primary nighttime residence. In that same year, 10.9 percent of homeless public school students used shelters or transitional housing as their primary nighttime residence.

This statistic shows the estimated number of chronically homeless people in the United States from 2011 to 2020, sorted by family status. In 2020, about 9,795 of the chronically homeless people in the U.S. had a family.

This statistic shows the estimated number of chronically homeless people in the United States in 2020, by state. In 2020, there were about 51,785 chronically homeless people living in California.

This statistic shows the estimated number of homeless people in families in the United States from 2007 to 2022, sorted by whether they lived in a homeless shelter. In 2022, about 17,337 homeless people in families in the United States lived outside of a homeless shelter.

In 2023, there were an estimated 32,156 homeless people with chronic substance abuse problems living in emergency shelters in the United States. A further 65,828 homeless people with chronic substance abuse problems were unsheltered in that year.

This statistic shows the estimated number of homeless veterans in the United States in 2022, by state. In 2022, about 10,395 veterans living in California were homeless.

This statistic shows the estimated number of homeless people in the United States in 2022, by state and whether they are sheltered or not. In 2022, about 115,491 homeless people lived outside of homeless shelters in California.

In 2023, about 3.6 percent of the estimated number of homeless veterans in the United States were Native American. In comparison, 57 percent were white and 31.3 percent were Black or African American.