Homelessness data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development

U.S. Homelessness Hits Record High in 2024 with 18.1% Surge Driven by Migrants and Housing Crisis

Dec 27, 2024, 05:08 PM

The United States experienced an 18.1% increase in homelessness in 2024, reaching a record high of over 770,000 people, according to data released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Friday. The surge is attributed to a combination of factors including a lack of affordable housing, devastating natural disasters, and a surge of migrants and asylum seekers in several parts of the country in January. Homelessness reached record levels among unaccompanied youths, while family homelessness saw a nearly 40% rise. Among those experiencing homelessness were 150,000 children, marking a 33% increase over 2023. The increase was especially pronounced in New York, which saw a 55,000 increase compared to last year, and Illinois, which saw a 14,000 increase. The number of people experiencing homelessness is larger than the populations of cities like Seattle, Denver, Oklahoma City, Nashville, or Washington, D.C. In contrast, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by 8% from the previous year, which experts attribute to federal housing aid available for veterans.