Who Experiences Homelessness?

Persons living in poverty are most at risk of becoming homeless, and demographic groups who are more likely to experience poverty are also more likely to experience homelessness. Yet because of methodological and financial constraints, most studies are limited to counting persons who are in shelters or on the street. While the Census Bureau has taken a series of innovations to better incorporate the homeless population, these procedures continue to undercount this group by failing to visit many locations with homeless populations. Additionally, different governmental agencies often present different estimates/counts, making the figures on homelessness inconclusive.

Housing and Urban Development’s Point-in-Time Survey, January 2013:

• HUD found 610,042 individuals to be homeless on a single night in January 2013. Most homeless persons (85%) are individuals while 15% of homeless persons are in family households. 
• 33% of all homeless people were youths under the age of 24. 
• 57,849 veterans, overwhelmingly 92% male, were homeless on a single night in January 2013. 60% were residing in shelters or transitional housing programs, while 40% were without shelter. 
• 48% of homeless individuals (without families) were found to be living without shelter. 
• Families experiencing homelessness made up 50% of those who were sheltered. 
• Five states, California (22%), New York (13%), Florida (8%), Texas (5%), and Massachusetts (3%), accounted for more than half of the homeless population in the United States in 2013.

Source:
http://nationalhomeless.org/about-homelessness/