Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Homelessness and health in the United States - Statistics & Facts
When visiting many major cities in the United States homelessness is a visible and unsettling problem. In 2022, it was estimated that around 582,462 people in the United States were homeless. However, estimating the number of people who are experiencing homelessness in the U.S. is extremely difficult and estimates are often criticized for underrepresenting the extent of the problem. The states with the highest rates of homelessness per 10,000 population are California, Vermont, Oregon, Hawaii, and New York. While the states with the largest total number of people experiencing homelessness are California, New York, Florida, Washington, and Texas. The causes of homelessness are diverse and complex but often involve poverty, unaffordable housing, unemployment, mental health issues, physical disability, serious illness, and substance use disorders. Poor physical and mental health can lead to homelessness, but homelessness also contributes to poor health outcomes and can exacerbate existing issues. Unsanitary living conditions, a lack of access to food, drug use, violence, stress, and exposure to the elements all increase the risk of physical illness and mental health conditions among the homeless. In addition, those experiencing homelessness often have difficulty accessing health care and delay treatment. Homelessness is seen as a major issue to many Americans with one survey from 2022 finding that 87 percent of U.S. adults believed homelessness in the country was a very serious or somewhat serious problem.
