Which states have the highest and lowest rates of homelessness? (2024)

FAQs

Which states have the highest and lowest rates of homelessness? ›

Mississippi had the lowest rate of homelessness, at 3.3 people per 10,000, while in other states — namely New York and Vermont — the rate jumps to more than 50 per 10,000. Washington, DC, comprised entirely of a single city, had rates higher than any state, 72.5 per 10,000.

Which state has the most homeless? As of 2022, California's homeless population stands at 171,521, the highest in the nation.

Mississippi's homelessness rate is so low largely because it is a rural state which keeps its cost of living low and many of its renters pay significant portions of their incomes to live in dilapidated housing.

There are an estimated 31,462 individuals experiencing homelessness on any given night in Florida. There is a misconception that persons experiencing homeless are all chronically homeless or mentally ill. Only 20% are chronically homeless – defined as having a disability and having long -term periods of homelessness.

Are there any countries with no homeless? While there is no definitive answer, some reports have claimed that Japan has a homelessness rate of 0%. We can't state with absolute certainty that those numbers are true and accurate, but if they are, then Japan stands alone in that feat.

Key findings: Colorado ranked the top state in the nation for housing assistance from 2018 to 2019. Connecticut saw a 23.6% decline in homelessness from 2018 to 2019. In 2019, it was estimated that nearly 568,000 were experiencing homelessness.

Japan has the lowest rate of homelessness in the world, followed closely by Thailand, then Switzerland and Costa Rica.

Where does the US rank in homelessness? ›

California alone accounted for nearly 30% of all homelessness in America, based on the 2023 estimates. Yet standardized by population, the states with the highest rates of homelessness were New York (5.2 people experiencing homelessness per 1,000 residents), Vermont (5.1), Oregon (4.8) and California (4.6).

Homelessness in California

In fact, the Golden State's homeless population made up 50 percent of America's unsheltered population in 2020.

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, an estimated 75,312 people experienced homeless in Los Angeles County in 2024. Of these, 22,947 were provided with shelter. Unsheltered homelessness decreased 5.1% from 2023 to 2024.

The national rate of Americans experiencing homelessness in 2023 was approximately 19.4 people per 10,000. Mississippi had the lowest rate of homelessness, at 3.3 people per 10,000, while in other states — namely New York and Vermont — the rate jumps to more than 50 per 10,000.

At 0.003% or roughly 1 homeless person per 34,000 residents, Japan is the country with the world's lowest rate of homelessness. Moreover, with a population of around 125.7 million people, the country also has one of the lowest numbers of homeless people.

Driving the trend are Vermont's lack of affordable housing, the end of pandemic-era supports like rental assistance, and increasing evictions, Sosin said. But Vermont has another national distinction: It also has the highest rate of unhoused people who were sheltered of any state.

The 2023 PIT count released in December estimated that more than 180,000 people were experiencing homelessness in our state—up 6% from the previous count.

In Japan, it is almost illegal to beg or sleep on the streets. Cities such as Tokyo are known for their anti-homeless or hostile architecture. Many parks in Tokyo are being locked at night to keep homeless people from sleeping there or hiring security guards to take them out.