There isn't one single city with the "worst" homeless problem, as it depends on whether you're looking at absolute numbers or per capita rates, but New York City consistently ranks highest for sheer population size, with Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Diego also having massive numbers, while cities like Washington D.C. have a higher proportion (per capita) of their population experiencing homelessness, driven by severe affordable housing shortages.
1. New York, New York
Homelessness is highest in the northern most part and central Australia and in small pockets of our major cities • The rate of homelessness in the Northern Territory is almost 15 times the national average.
The highest rates of homelessness among states are in Hawaii (465 per 100,000), followed by New York (399) and California (367). You can access the HUD estimations here. The lowest homeless counts per capita come in Mississippi (81 per 100,000), Indiana (94) and Kansas (94).
The lack of deeply affordable housing is the primary cause of homelessness. For many, rising costs create an impossible choice between paying for housing and other necessities like healthcare, groceries, or clothing.
California has 12% of the overall U.S. population, but about 30% of the nation's homeless population (about 172,000 total). The cost and lack of housing is a primary reason.
Finland is the only country in the world where there are no homeless people; the Finnish government believes that housing is not a privilege, but a fundamental right for every individual. Therefore, instead of temporary shelters or tents, homeless people are given the keys to permanent homes.
Norway has one of the world's lowest rates of homeless people living in the streets (although data collection and definitions vary)
Queensland's the homelessness capital of Australia. On 14 August 2024, I spoke about the eye-watering statistic that Queensland has become the homelessness capital of Australia. Queensland has recently been characterised as the homelessness capital of Australia.
Yes, homeless people can get Centrelink payments, including income support, advance payments, and crisis payments for extreme situations like fire or flood, with support available for finding housing and linking with social workers to navigate entitlements and services. While having a fixed address can be tricky, you can often use a homelessness service, shelter, or social worker's address as a contact point to receive mail and get assistance with applications, with Centrelink having workarounds for those without a permanent home.
A chronic shortage of social housing, an increasingly unaffordable private rental market, and inadequate income support means that thousands of Australians struggle to find a secure and affordable place to live.
Texas cities also stand out: Last year, the Houston metropolitan area achieved the lowest rate of homelessness of any major U.S. city, with just 52 people per 100,000 residents experiencing homelessness (compared to 734 people per 100,000 in Los Angeles).
Homelessness and Age
The average age of adults experiencing homelessness is 45 years. The average age of unaccompanied homeless youth (aged 24 and below) is 18 years. The average age of older adults (aged 50 and above) experiencing homelessness is 66 years.
West Coast
Hawaii and New York have the highest rates of homelessness across the 50 states. About 771,000 Americans experienced homelessness in January 2024 according to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) point-in-time data, which measures homelessness across the US on a single night each winter.
Hungary criminalizes homelessness and is addressed in its constitution, which is seen as part of a broader illiberal governance in the country. Sleeping in a public space is illegal and violators can be fined or jailed.
By 2003, Japan had about 25,000 homeless people. Despite the country's ongoing economic challenges, the official number of homeless individuals has since plummeted, with the government reporting only 2,820 homeless people as of 2024.
Roughly 100 unhoused individuals across Los Angeles County and parts of San Francisco were given $750 a month over a year. The money came in the form of an unconditional payment—no strings attached.
Lack of affordable housing.
The CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA) Program is specifically designed to help families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This program offers temporary shelter assistance for up to 16 days, providing payments of up to $85 per day for a family of four, with additional amounts for larger families.
Drug and alcohol overdose continued to be the leading cause of death among unhoused individuals in 2023, accounting for 45% of all deaths.
Many people become homeless because they can no longer afford the rent. And for many, life events like a relationship breaking down, losing a job, mental or physical health problems, or substance misuse put people under considerable strain.