LWVMM - Homelessness Awareness
Who is homeless?
Homelessness does not affect people equally.
People of color, gender-expansive people, and individuals with serious and chronic health conditions face more obstacles in finding housing.
The 2023 point-in-time survey found:
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71% of those experiencing homelessness are individual adults, with 51.2% being unsheltered
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28.5% of homeless individuals are families with children
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Men (particularly men of color) make up approximately 61% of people experiencing homelessness
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For every 15 women who experience homelessness, 24 men do
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Homelessness is growing among women and gender-expansive people
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Homelessness among women has increased 12.1% since 2022.
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Homelessness among transgender people increased 217% since 2015 as compared to 14.5% for cisgender individuals
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Nearly twice as many disabled persons (154,313) experienced chronic homelessness in 2023 than in 2016
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62% of these people were unsheltered, with 36% being sheltered and experiencing chronic illness
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20% of all people experiencing homelessness are older than 55
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127,707 older adults experienced homelessness in the U.S.
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After years of decline, the rate of homelessness is now increasing among families and children, unaccompanied youth, and among people of color.
​Among people of color:
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a 91% increase among Asian people
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a 59% increase Hispanic or Latino people
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a 53% increase among American Indian or Alaska native people
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a 21% increase among native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders