Reports and analysis from the Department of Housing and Urban Development

US Homelessness Hits Record High of 770,000, Surges 18% Amid Housing Crisis

Dec 28, 2024, 05:04 AM

The United States experienced an 18.1% surge in homelessness this year, reaching a record high since tracking began in 2007, with over 770,000 individuals counted as homeless, according to federal officials from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This dramatic rise is attributed primarily to a lack of affordable housing, devastating natural disasters, and an influx of migrants in several regions. Families experiencing homelessness surged by nearly 40%, and Black people represent 32% of the total homeless population. California remains the state with the largest unhoused population, reporting approximately 187,000 homeless individuals, accounting for about 24% of the nation's total. Washington state has the third-highest homeless population in the country. Officials cite high rents, inflation, stagnant wages, and the end of pandemic-era aid as contributing factors to the growing crisis.