The Economic Consequences of Homelessness in The US

1State Estimates
Homelessness in the United States
Data source: PIT 2007–2017; Excludes Puerto Rico and U.S. territories
On a Single Night in January 2017
• Half of all people experiencing homelessness
did so in one of five states: California (25%
or 134,278 people); New York (16% or 89,503
people); Florida (6% or 32,190 people); Texas
(4% or 23,548 people); or Washington (4% or
21,112 people).
• California and New York, the states with
the largest numbers of people experiencing
homelessness, also had high rates of
homelessness, 34 and 45 people per 10,000,
compared to the national average of 17 people
per 10,000. Washington and Massachusetts
also had high rates (29 and 26 people per
10,000). While Florida and Texas had among
the highest numbers of people experiencing
homelessness, they had rates lower than the
national average.
• California accounted for nearly half of all
unsheltered people in the country in 2017
(49% or 91,642 people). Florida had the second
highest share of the unsheltered homeless
population in the U.S., with eight percent
(15,079 people).
• In four states, more than half of all people
experiencing homelessness lived in
unsheltered locations: California (68%), Nevada
(58%), Oregon (57%), and Hawaii (53%).
• In two states, fewer than five percent of all
people experiencing homelessness did so
without shelter. In Iowa, just four percent
of people experiencing homelessness were
unsheltered (104 people), while in Nebraska,
just under five percent of people experiencing
homelessness were unsheltered (120 people).
EXHIBIT 1.6: Estimates of Homeless People
By State, 2017
WA
21,112
MT
1,529
OR
13,953 ID
2,037
WY
873
NV
7,833 UT
2,852 CO
10,940
CA
134,278
AZ NM
8,947 2,482
AK
1,845
ME, 2,280
ND
VT, 1,225
1,089 MN
NH, 1,456
7,668
NY MA, 17,565
SD
WI
943
5,027 MI
89,503 RI, 1,180
9,051
CT, 3,388
IA
PA
NE 2,756 IL OH 14,138 NJ, 8,536
2,501
10,798 IN 10,095
DE, 994
5,438 WV MD, 7,247
VA
KS MO
KY 1,309 6,067
DC, 7,473
2,287 6,037 4,025
NC, 8,962
Share of Homeless Population
OK
TN, 8,309
AR
4,199
SC
Less than 1%
2,467
3,916
MS AL
1%–2.9%
GA
1,472 3,793
TX
10,174
3%–6%
23,548 LA
Greater than 6%
3,305
FL 32,190
HI
7,220
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