Rise in U.S. Homelessness

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — There was a record 18% rise in homelessness in the U.S. in the last year, driven by factors like unaffordable housing, high inflation, systemic racism, natural disasters, and rising immigration, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) said on Friday.

Why It’s Important

The problem of homelessness has been worsening in the U.S., with visible destitution in many cities where people live openly on the streets, often in tents pitched on sidewalks. Federal and state governments have adopted divergent strategies to tackle this crisis.

By The Numbers

A total of 771,480 people—about 23 of every 10,000 in the U.S.—experienced homelessness, whether in emergency shelters, safe havens, transitional housing, or unsheltered locations, according to data released on Friday. Overall, the number of people experiencing homelessness increased by 18% between 2023 and 2024. The previous year’s data showed a 12% rise in homelessness.

Children under 18 saw the largest increase in homelessness, with a 33% rise and 150,000 children affected.

Black individuals, representing 12% of the U.S. population and 21% of those living in poverty, accounted for 32% of all people experiencing homelessness.

Key Quotes

“Our worsening national affordable housing crisis, rising inflation, stagnating wages among middle- and lower-income households, and the persisting effects of systemic racism have stretched homelessness services systems to their limits,” the Department of Housing and Urban Development stated. They also noted additional public health crises, natural disasters displacing people from their homes, increased immigration, and the end of homelessness prevention programs established during the COVID-19 pandemic.