Homelessness Was Rising Prior to COVID-19 Pandemic, Up 2.2% Between 2019 & 2020

Homelessness in the United States rose 2.2% between 2019 and 2020, according to the one-night point-in-time (PIT) count that took place in both years, rising from 576,715 people in 2019, to 580,466 people in 2020. About 0.18% of the United States population was homeless on the night the PIT took place. This is the fourth year in a row that homeless has increased.

Homelessness increased significantly among unsheltered populations and people experiencing chronic homelessness. Veteran homelessness did not decrease compared with 2019, and homelessness among family households did not decrease for the first . . .