HUD reports slight decrease in homelessness

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Friday reported a 3% decrease in homelessness overall between January 2024 and January 2025. HUD finds its homelessness point-in-time estimates each year by conducting a national survey in January of the homeless population across the country. Usually, the department publishes the results in December, roughly 11 months after conducting that year’s count. But this year, HUD released the results for 2025 almost six months later than usual and roughly 16 months after the initial count was conducted.

What are some of the major trends in homelessness? Roughly 745,000 people were homeless in the United States in January 2025. Since 2013, the number of homeless people in the United States has increased by 27%, HUD reported. The number of people who are chronically homeless has increased by 81% during the same time period. Those increases come despite the fact that local agencies are spending 111% more on combating homelessness than they were in 2013, according to HUD. But compared to 2024, when homelessness peaked in the United States, the overall homeless population has shrunk, HUD reported.

Dig deeper: Read my report in Compassion about a congressional divide over how to make housing more affordable.