The Economic Consequences of Homelessness in The US

Key Findings
On a single night in 2017, 553,742 people were
experiencing homelessness in the United States.
For every 10,000 people in the country, 17 were
experiencing homelessness. Approximately twothirds
(65%) were staying in emergency shelters
or transitional housing programs, and about onethird
(35%) were in unsheltered locations.
Homelessness increased for the first time in
seven years. The number of people experiencing
homelessness increased by a little less than one
percent between 2016 and 2017. This increase
reflected a nine percent increase in the number of
people experiencing homelessness in unsheltered
locations, which was partially offset by a
three percent decline in the number of people
experiencing homelessness in sheltered locations.
Recent increases in homelessness were driven
mostly by specific changes happening within
cities. Increases in the numbers of unsheltered
individuals in the 50 largest cities accounted for
nearly all of the national increase.
The number of people experiencing
homelessness in families with children declined
by five percent between 2016 and 2017—
10,055 fewer people and 3,294 fewer family
households. As of 2017, 184,661 people in families
with children were experiencing homelessness,
33 percent of the homeless population.
In 2017, 40,799 people were experiencing
homelessness as unaccompanied youth—that
is, people under the age of 25 experiencing
homelessness on their own. Most unaccompanied
youth (88%) were between the ages of 18 and
24. Unaccompanied youth were more likely
to be unsheltered (55%) than both all people
experiencing homelessness (35%) and all people
experiencing homelessness as individuals (48%).
Between 2016 and 2017, the number of veterans
experiencing homelessness increased for the
first time since 2010. Nonetheless, homelessness
among veterans dropped 45 percent since 2009.
The two percent increase during the past year
was almost entirely accounted for by increases
among unsheltered veterans in major cities.
There were 12 percent more individuals with
chronic patterns of homelessness in 2017 than
in 2016, but has declined by 27 percent since
2007. Unlike other increases in the last year, the
increase in chronic homelessness included both
sheltered populations (8% increase) and unsheltered
populations (14% increase).
Percent of Homeless People
By Household Type and Sheltered Status, 2017
People in
Families,
Unsheltered
People in
Families,
Sheltered
3%
35% Unsheltered
30%
32%
35%
Individuals,
Sheltered
65% Sheltered
Individuals,
Unsheltered
2017 PIT
Estimate:
Change from
2016
All People
Individuals
Families with
Children
Unaccompanied
Homeless Youth
Veterans
Individuals
with Chronic
Patterns of
Homelessness
553,742 369,081 184,661 40,799 40,056 86,962
+1% +4% -5% +2% +12%
1