Homeless Population by State

Homelessness is one of the largest societal issues in the United States, impacting people from diverse backgrounds and circumstances. In 2022, a staggering 582,500 individuals were experiencing homelessness on a single night across the nation.

Out of this homeless population, around 60% found refuge in sheltered locations like emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, or safe havens. Alarmingly, however, 40% were left to reside in uninhabitable spaces, such as streets or abandoned buildings, highlighting the harsh reality faced by a significant portion of the homeless community.

Between 2020 and 2022, the homeless population in America saw a slight increase of less than one percent. This modest uptick was a result of various factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic. As pandemic-related restrictions began to ease in 2021, shelters were able to safely accommodate more people, leading to a seven percent rise in sheltered homelessness while still adhering to safety guidelines.

Key findings from the data include:

• On a single night in 2022, an estimated 582,500 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States.
• Homelessness has increased 0.3% nationwide between 2020 and 2022, with a 6.9% increase in sheltered homelessness between 2021 and 2022.
• There is an overrepresentation of people identifying as Black, African American, or African and indigenous people among the homeless population compared to the general U.S. population.
• From 2020 to 2022, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by 11 percent, a significant reduction.
• Six in every ten people experiencing unsheltered homelessness did so in urban areas, with the remaining split almost evenly between suburban and rural areas.
• Chronic patterns of homelessness affect 30% of individuals experiencing homelessness in 2022.

Homelessness is a deeply-rooted and complex issue that affects millions of people across the United States. While every state grapples with this societal concern to some extent, there are ten states that stand out for their particularly high homeless populations. These states are:

Collectively, these ten states account for over 60% of America's homeless population, highlighting the severity of the problem within their borders.