People most at risk of homelessness include Indigenous Australians, young people (especially 12-24), single parents, older women (55+), people with mental illness or disabilities, those experiencing domestic violence, and low-income individuals facing financial hardship or rental stress, often due to complex factors like poverty, unemployment, and lack of affordable housing.
Children and young people (aged 0–24) make up 37% of people experiencing homelessness (ABS) ● 15% of all homelessness clients are unaccompanied children and young people ● Experiencing homelessness before age 16 is a strong predictor of adult homelessness.
People of color, people who identify as LGBTQ+ and young parents disproportionately experience youth homelessness at higher rates. Native American youth have more than double the risk of experiencing homelessness compared to other youth.
Some people are more at risk of being pushed into homelessness than others. People in low paid jobs, living in poverty and poor quality or insecure housing are more likely to experience homelessness.
Black and Native American individuals are more likely to be homeless than are individuals from other racial and ethnic groups. Men and veterans also have higher rates of homelessness than the U.S. average. Homeless people are less likely to be women or under the age of 18.
Although the causes of homelessness are many, economic hardship and lack of affordable housing are the two leading causes of homelessness.
This is particularly an issue for youth and women, especially those with children. Women who experience violence or live in poverty are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness. Young people who are victims of sexual, physical or psychological abuse often end up experiencing homelessness.
Causes of homelessness
Domestic violence is the single biggest cause of homelessness in Australia. What this means is that homelessness is a product of many other human rights abuses.
People aged 50 and older have grown from about 10 percent of the homeless population to half. That's according to the most recent federal data. Estimates find that the population of older adults experiencing homelessness could nearly triple in big cities by 2030.
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.
The 2016 Census showed that older women were the fastest growing group to experience homelessness in Australia. The number of women over 55 experiencing homelessness increased by 31% to 6,866, compared to 2011. The 2021 Census reported an increase of 6.6% to 7,325 women over 55 experiencing homelessness.
Most minority groups in the United States experience homelessness at higher rates than Whites, and therefore make up a disproportionate share of the homeless population. African Americans make up 13 percent of the general population, but more than 40 percent of the homeless population.
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.
While specific data varies by report, Sydney generally has the highest total number of people experiencing homelessness, particularly in its inner-city and surrounding suburbs like Canterbury, Strathfield, and Fairfield, though Brisbane and the Northern Territory (like East Arnhem) also show very high rates relative to their populations. Homelessness is concentrated in major cities but also prevalent in outer suburbs, driven by housing affordability issues.
Staggering property prices and rental growth means housing in Australia, and in Queensland, has never been more unaffordable. At the same time, the ballooning waitlists for social housing shows there is insufficient supply to meet growing demand.
United States. While it is considered the leader of the world stage, the United States still has one of the biggest problems with homelessness, even when compared to more impoverished countries. With a homeless population per night of over half a million souls, the numbers are concerning.
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.
Homelessness poses profound mental and emotional strains. Daily stressors, such as ensuring personal safety and finding a place to sleep, coupled with the instability and trauma of being unhoused, can increase an individual's vulnerability to psychological conditions, distress, and substance use disorders.
Younger members of the boomer generation (born between 1955-1965) continue to make up the dominant homeless population in the United States. While the first half of the boomer generation entered adulthood on the wings of economic prosperity, those born during the second half, faced entirely different circumstances.
Australia is ten or fifteen years behind the US on homelessness.
Being Homeless in New South Wales
Thankfully, New South Wales, alongside Western Australia and the ACT, is one of the few states that doesn't actively fine people for being homeless. However, there are still a large number of laws and regulations that disproportionately punish the State's homeless.
The top issues for Australian youth today center around severe financial stress (cost of living, housing), significant mental health challenges (anxiety, isolation), and deep concerns about climate change, with violence/safety also rising, according to recent major surveys. These issues profoundly impact their daily lives, affecting well-being and future prospects, despite resilience and hope for change.
But we also know that some groups are more vulnerable to experiencing homelessness than others. For example, young people, people in the LGBT+ community, prison-leavers, care-leavers, people with mental ill-health, may be more likely to face homelessness than others.
Through out the 56 days, the Council has a duty to work with you to take reasonable steps to secure accommodation. After the 56 days the Council may be satisfied that they have done everything it can to help you find accommodation.
In recent years, the terms “unhoused,” “houseless,” and “housing insecurity” have gained popularity in public conversations about homelessness.