General Questions About Homelessness:
How many people are homeless in the U.S.?
Due to the circumstances of homelessness, it is very difficult to come up with a reliable number of people who experience homelessness over the course of a year, or who are homeless at a given point in time.
A 2007 report titled the Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress states that the number of people who were living in shelters or were unsheltered in January 2005 totaled 754,147. Of those, 338,781 were living on the streets, in cars, on in other areas not meant for human habitation.
Additionally, the report found that "nearly 1/4 of all sheltered homeless persons are age 17 or younger...and that 47% of all sheltered homeless people are single adult men."
Other questions & answers related to this topic:
What is the definition of homeless?
How do people become homeless?
How can I get assistance if I am homeless or about to become homeless?
What are the causes of homelessness among youth?
How many families with children in the U.S. are homeless, and what are some approaches for serving these families?
What are the typical characteristcs of homelessness for children and families?
Glossary of Search Terms in Homelessness and Chronic Homelessness
Where can I find information on best practices in preventing homelessness among ex-offenders?
Why are shelters not an adequate system for ending homelessness?