National Statistics

• Approximately 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year. ⁽¹⁾
• Full-time work at the current minimum wage does not provide sufficient income for a modest rental unit in any county in America. ⁽⁵⁾
• Families with children are among the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. ⁽²⁾
• Two trends largely responsible for the rise in homelessness over the past 20-25 years: a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty. ⁽³⁾
• An average of 23 percent of the requests for emergency shelter by homeless people has gone unmet during the past year. ⁽⁴⁾
• Listed in order of frequency, the following were identified as factors contributing to homelessness: ⁽⁴⁾

1. Mental illness and lack of needed services
2. Lack of affordable housing
3. Substance abuse and lack of needed services
4. Low-paying jobs
5. Domestic violence
6. Prisoner re-entry
7. Unemployment
8. Poverty

• According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, demographic information for the homeless population nationally is as follows: ⁽⁴⁾
  • 51% are single men
  • 30% are families with children
  • 17% are single women
  • 2% are unaccompanied youth
  • 42% are African American
  • 39% are White
  • 13% are Hispanic
  • 4% are Native American
  • 2% are Asian

Sources
(1) National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2004
(2) National Coalition for Homelessness, Fact Sheet #3, June 2006
(3) National Coalition for Homelessness, Fact Sheet #1, June 2006
(4) Conference of Mayors Hunger and Homelessness Survey 2006
(5) National Low Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach, 2006