On a single night in 2022, 582,462 people experienced homelessness in the United States, and numbers are on the rise. Since 2017, there has been a 6% increase in homelessness, with a disproportionate amount of the homeless population identifying as Black or indigenous (including Native Americans and Pacific Islanders). On a positive note, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by 11% between 2020 and 2022.
About six in 10 of the people experiencing homelessness in 2022 had access to emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, or safe havens, while the remainder were unsheltered. Rates of unsheltered homelessness — which includes those sleeping on the streets, in abandoned buildings, and in wooded areas — are also on the rise. These are the states with the most unsheltered homeless people.
To find the state with the most homeless people, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress from the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development. To account for population size, states and the District of Columbia are ranked by the rate of homelessness in each state, that is the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2022 per 10,000 residents. All data is from the report.
Although rates of homelessness have decreased in nearly two dozen states in the last few years — partly due to pandemic-related funding into housing support and human services — other states have seen drastic increases. Vermont’s homeless population has risen by 150.5% since 2020 — the highest of all states, followed by Louisiana and Maine.
By sheer numbers, California has the largest homeless population at 171,521 people, which is more than double that of the next state, New York. The majority of the 74,178 people experiencing homelessness in New York live in New York City. When adjusted to the population, however, our nation’s capital has the highest rate of homelessness, with over 65 people in every 10,000 experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C..
Across the nation, about 60% of the unsheltered homeless population lives in urban areas. These are the American cities with the highest poverty rates.
Click here to see the state with the most homeless people.
51. Mississippi
> Rate of homelessness: 4.1 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 1,196 (2nd lowest)
> Change from 2020: +8.0%
> Number sheltered: 435 or 36.4%
> Number unsheltered: 761 or 63.6%
[in-text-ad]
50. South Carolina
> Rate of homelessness: 7.0 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 3,608 (19th lowest)
> Change from 2020: -15.8%
> Number sheltered: 2,374 or 34.2%
> Number unsheltered: 1,234 or 65.8%
24/7 Wall St.
49. Illinois
> Rate of homelessness: 7.3 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 9,212 (15th highest)
> Change from 2020: -11.7%
> Number sheltered: 7,311 or 79.4%
> Number unsheltered: 1,901 or 20.6%
48. Alabama
> Rate of homelessness: 7.4 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 3,752 (20th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +12.0%
> Number sheltered: 2,172 or 57.9%
> Number unsheltered: 1,580 or 42.1%
[in-text-ad-2]
46. Iowa
> Rate of homelessness: 7.6 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 2,419 (13th lowest)
> Change from 2020: -8.6%
> Number sheltered: 2,013 or 16.8%
> Number unsheltered: 406 or 83.2%
46. Virginia
> Rate of homelessness: 7.6 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 6,529 (21st highest)
> Change from 2020: +9.6%
> Number sheltered: 5,844 or 89.5%
> Number unsheltered: 685 or 10.5%
[in-text-ad]
45. West Virginia
> Rate of homelessness: 7.7 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 1,375 (3rd lowest)
> Change from 2020: +2.5%
> Number sheltered: 976 or 71.0%
> Number unsheltered: 399 or 29.0%
44. North Dakota
> Rate of homelessness: 7.9 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 610 (the lowest)
> Change from 2020: +12.8%
> Number sheltered: 527 or 86.4%
> Number unsheltered: 83 or 13.6%
43. Indiana
> Rate of homelessness: 8.0 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 5,449 (24th highest)
> Change from 2020: -3.1%
> Number sheltered: 4,650 or 85.3%
> Number unsheltered: 799 or 14.7%
[in-text-ad-2]
40. Arkansas
> Rate of homelessness: 8.1 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 2,459 (14th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +3.9%
> Number sheltered: 1,163 or 47.3%
> Number unsheltered: 1,296 or 52.7%
40. Connecticut
> Rate of homelessness: 8.1 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 2,930 (17th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +0.9%
> Number sheltered: 2,636 or 90.0%
> Number unsheltered: 294 or 10.0%
[in-text-ad]
40. Wisconsin
> Rate of homelessness: 8.1 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 4,775 (25th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +5.8%
> Number sheltered: 4,474 or 93.7%
> Number unsheltered: 301 or 6.3%
38. Kansas
> Rate of homelessness: 8.2 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 2,397 (12th lowest)
> Change from 2020: -2.1%
> Number sheltered: 1,699 or 70.9%
> Number unsheltered: 698 or 29.1%
38. Michigan
> Rate of homelessness: 8.2 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 8,206 (17th highest)
> Change from 2020: -5.0%
> Number sheltered: 7,306 or 89.0%
> Number unsheltered: 900 or 11.0%
[in-text-ad-2]
37. Texas
> Rate of homelessness: 8.3 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 24,432 (5th highest)
> Change from 2020: -10.3%
> Number sheltered: 13,461 or 55.1%
> Number unsheltered: 10,971 or 44.9%
36. Maryland
> Rate of homelessness: 8.7 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 5,349 (25th highest)
> Change from 2020: -15.9%
> Number sheltered: 4,458 or 16.7%
> Number unsheltered: 891 or 83.3%
[in-text-ad]
35. Kentucky
> Rate of homelessness: 8.8 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 3,984 (22nd lowest)
> Change from 2020: -0.7%
> Number sheltered: 2,900 or 72.8%
> Number unsheltered: 1,084 or 27.2%
34. North Carolina
> Rate of homelessness: 8.9 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 9,382 (14th highest)
> Change from 2020: +1.1%
> Number sheltered: 5,757 or 61.4%
> Number unsheltered: 3,625 or 38.6%
33. Ohio
> Rate of homelessness: 9.0 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 10,654 (11th highest)
> Change from 2020: +0.0%
> Number sheltered: 8,706 or 18.3%
> Number unsheltered: 1,948 or 81.7%
[in-text-ad-2]
31. New Jersey
> Rate of homelessness: 9.4 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 8,752 (16th highest)
> Change from 2020: -9.4%
> Number sheltered: 7,776 or 11.2%
> Number unsheltered: 976 or 88.8%
31. Oklahoma
> Rate of homelessness: 9.4 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 3,754 (21st lowest)
> Change from 2020: -4.5%
> Number sheltered: 2,437 or 64.9%
> Number unsheltered: 1,317 or 35.1%
[in-text-ad]
30. Missouri
> Rate of homelessness: 9.7 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 5,992 (22nd highest)
> Change from 2020: -8.2%
> Number sheltered: 4,391 or 26.7%
> Number unsheltered: 1,601 or 73.3%
29. Pennsylvania
> Rate of homelessness: 9.8 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 12,691 (9th highest)
> Change from 2020: -5.1%
> Number sheltered: 11,085 or 87.3%
> Number unsheltered: 1,606 or 12.7%
28. Georgia
> Rate of homelessness: 9.9 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 10,689 (10th highest)
> Change from 2020: +4.4%
> Number sheltered: 5,154 or 51.8%
> Number unsheltered: 5,535 or 48.2%
[in-text-ad-2]
27. Idaho
> Rate of homelessness: 10.5 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 1,998 (8th lowest)
> Change from 2020: -13.7%
> Number sheltered: 1,110 or 55.6%
> Number unsheltered: 888 or 44.4%
26. Utah
> Rate of homelessness: 10.7 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 3,557 (18th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +13.6%
> Number sheltered: 2,684 or 75.5%
> Number unsheltered: 873 or 24.5%
[in-text-ad]
25. Wyoming
> Rate of homelessness: 11.2 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 648 (the lowest)
> Change from 2020: +5.9%
> Number sheltered: 584 or 9.9%
> Number unsheltered: 64 or 90.1%
24/7 Wall St.
24. Nebraska
> Rate of homelessness: 11.4 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 2,246 (9th lowest)
> Change from 2020: -6.6%
> Number sheltered: 2,030 or 90.4%
> Number unsheltered: 216 or 9.6%
23. New Hampshire
> Rate of homelessness: 11.6 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 1,605 (7th lowest)
> Change from 2020: -4.2%
> Number sheltered: 1,274 or 79.4%
> Number unsheltered: 331 or 20.6%
[in-text-ad-2]
22. Florida
> Rate of homelessness: 11.9 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 25,959 (3rd highest)
> Change from 2020: -5.6%
> Number sheltered: 14,213 or 54.8%
> Number unsheltered: 11,746 or 45.2%
21. New Mexico
> Rate of homelessness: 12.1 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 2,560 (15th lowest)
> Change from 2020: -23.2%
> Number sheltered: 2,006 or 78.4%
> Number unsheltered: 554 or 21.6%
[in-text-ad]
20. Minnesota
> Rate of homelessness: 13.9 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 7,917 (18th highest)
> Change from 2020: -0.3%
> Number sheltered: 6,148 or 77.7%
> Number unsheltered: 1,769 or 22.3%
18. Montana
> Rate of homelessness: 14.4 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 1,585 (6th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +2.6%
> Number sheltered: 1,292 or 81.5%
> Number unsheltered: 293 or 18.5%
18. Rhode Island
> Rate of homelessness: 14.4 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 1,577 (5th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +42.8%
> Number sheltered: 1,329 or 84.3%
> Number unsheltered: 248 or 15.7%
[in-text-ad-2]
17. Tennessee
> Rate of homelessness: 15.1 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 10,567 (12th highest)
> Change from 2020: +45.6%
> Number sheltered: 4,434 or 42.0%
> Number unsheltered: 6,133 or 58.0%
16. South Dakota
> Rate of homelessness: 15.5 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 1,389 (4th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +31.3%
> Number sheltered: 1,047 or 75.4%
> Number unsheltered: 342 or 24.6%
[in-text-ad]
15. Louisiana
> Rate of homelessness: 15.9 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 7,373 (20th highest)
> Change from 2020: +132.4%
> Number sheltered: 6,138 or 83.2%
> Number unsheltered: 1,235 or 16.8%
14. Colorado
> Rate of homelessness: 17.9 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 10,397 (13th highest)
> Change from 2020: +5.6%
> Number sheltered: 7,241 or 30.4%
> Number unsheltered: 3,156 or 69.6%
13. Arizona
> Rate of homelessness: 18.6 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 13,553 (8th highest)
> Change from 2020: +23.4%
> Number sheltered: 5,526 or 59.2%
> Number unsheltered: 8,027 or 40.8%
[in-text-ad-2]
12. Massachusetts
> Rate of homelessness: 22.2 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 15,507 (7th highest)
> Change from 2020: -13.7%
> Number sheltered: 14,372 or 92.7%
> Number unsheltered: 1,135 or 7.3%
11. Delaware
> Rate of homelessness: 23.6 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 2,369 (11th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +103.3%
> Number sheltered: 2,215 or 93.5%
> Number unsheltered: 154 or 6.5%
[in-text-ad]
10. Nevada
> Rate of homelessness: 24.2 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 7,618 (19th highest)
> Change from 2020: +10.4%
> Number sheltered: 4,051 or 53.2%
> Number unsheltered: 3,567 or 46.8%
9. Alaska
> Rate of homelessness: 31.7 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 2,320 (10th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +19.0%
> Number sheltered: 1,963 or 84.6%
> Number unsheltered: 357 or 15.4%
8. Maine
> Rate of homelessness: 32.1 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 4,411 (24th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +110.3%
> Number sheltered: 4,247 or 96.3%
> Number unsheltered: 164 or 3.7%
[in-text-ad-2]
7. Washington
> Rate of homelessness: 32.6 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 25,211 (4th highest)
> Change from 2020: +10.0%
> Number sheltered: 12,543 or 49.8%
> Number unsheltered: 12,668 or 50.2%
6. New York
> Rate of homelessness: 37.4 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 74,178 (2nd highest)
> Change from 2020: -18.7%
> Number sheltered: 70,140 or 94.6%
> Number unsheltered: 4,038 or 5.4%
[in-text-ad]
5. Hawaii
> Rate of homelessness: 41.4 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 5,967 (23rd highest)
> Change from 2020: -7.6%
> Number sheltered: 2,224 or 37.3%
> Number unsheltered: 3,743 or 62.7%
4. Oregon
> Rate of homelessness: 42.3 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 17,959 (6th highest)
> Change from 2020: +22.5%
> Number sheltered: 6,871 or 38.3%
> Number unsheltered: 11,088 or 61.7%
3. Vermont
> Rate of homelessness: 43.1 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 2,780 (16th lowest)
> Change from 2020: +150.5%
> Number sheltered: 2,735 or 1.6%
> Number unsheltered: 45 or 98.4%
[in-text-ad-2]
2. California
> Rate of homelessness: 43.7 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 171,521 (the highest)
> Change from 2020: +6.2%
> Number sheltered: 56,030 or 32.7%
> Number unsheltered: 115,491 or 67.3%
1. District of Columbia
> Rate of homelessness: 65.8 in every 10,000 people
> Est. number of people experiencing homelessness, 2022: 4,410 (23rd lowest)
> Change from 2020: -30.9%
> Number sheltered: 3,720 or 84.4%
> Number unsheltered: 690 or 15.6%
Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With An Advisor Now (Sponsored)
Are you ready for retirement? Planning for retirement can be overwhelming, that’s why it could be a good idea to speak to a fiduciary financial advisor about your goals today.
Start by taking this retirement quiz right here from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes. Smart Asset is now matching over 50,000 people a month.
Click here now to get started.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.