A government report released on Friday revealed that homelessness in the United States reached a new high this year, driven in part by ongoing inflation and soaring housing prices. The report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that 771,480 people were homeless on a single night in January 2024, marking an 18 percent increase from 2023.
The rise in homelessness comes as families face the strain of rising housing costs, with the median rent in January 2024 being 20 percent higher than it was in January 2021, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
In addition to housing costs, the HUD report pointed to stagnant wages for middle- and lower-income households, as well as the enduring effects of systemic racism, as contributing factors.
Other issues cited included natural disasters that displaced people, increasing immigration, and the end of homelessness prevention programs introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While this data is nearly a year old and no longer reflects the current situation, it is vital that we continue to focus on evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness,” said HUD Administrator Adrianne Todman in a statement.
The report also revealed that nearly 150,000 children were homeless on a single night this year, a 33 percent increase from 2023.
The group most affected by the rise in homelessness was children under 18, with a significant increase between 2023 and 2024.
People identifying as Black, African American, or African are still disproportionately represented among the homeless population. While they make up 12 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 32 percent of those experiencing homelessness.
The report also noted that families with children saw the largest increase in homelessness, with migration having a particularly strong impact on family homelessness.
However, homelessness among veterans decreased to the lowest level ever recorded.
