The number of homeless people is based on point in time estimates, unduplicated one-night estimates of sheltered and unsheltered homeless populations. They are carried out nationwide during the last 10 days of January of each year by Continuums of Care (CoC).
Figures for 2021 have been omitted as they only represented sheltered homeless individuals due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, unsheltered individuals were not counted in that year to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
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Estimated number of homeless people in the U.S. 2007-2025
In 2025, there were about ** homeless people estimated to be living in the United States, a slight decrease from the previous year. In comparison, the lowest number of homeless people living in the U.S. within this time period was in 2016, 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.
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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Office of community planning and development). (May 1, 2026). Estimated number of homeless people in the United States from 2007 to 2025 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved August 04, 2026, from /statistics/555795/estimated-number-of-homeless-people-in-the-us/
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Office of community planning and development). "Estimated number of homeless people in the United States from 2007 to 2025." Chart. May 1, 2026. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed August 04, 2026. /statistics/555795/estimated-number-of-homeless-people-in-the-us/
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Office of community planning and development). (2026). Estimated number of homeless people in the United States from 2007 to 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: August 04, 2026. /statistics/555795/estimated-number-of-homeless-people-in-the-us/
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Office of community planning and development). "Estimated Number of Homeless People in The United States from 2007 to 2025." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 1 May 2026, /statistics/555795/estimated-number-of-homeless-people-in-the-us/
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Office of community planning and development), Estimated number of homeless people in the United States from 2007 to 2025 ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/555795/estimated-number-of-homeless-people-in-the-us/ (last visited August 04, 2026)
Estimated number of homeless people in the United States from 2007 to 2025 [Graph], U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Office of community planning and development), May 1, 2026. [Online]. Available: /statistics/555795/estimated-number-of-homeless-people-in-the-us/