Published: NOV 6, 2026
2026 National Homelessness Estimate
Despite Economic Headwinds, Homelessness Sees the Largest Single Year Decrease On Record
Table of Contents
Prior to publication, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was made aware of the Alliance’s intent to publish this analysis and, in response, issued a hastily drafted press release announcing a reduction in homelessness on Friday night just before the close of business. HUD did not post a report, nor did they release data on any subpopulations. HUD’s press release repeats various talking points that the Trump Administration has used since it took office, which are contradicted by available research and inconsistent with the data on decreases in homelessness, which began before they took office.
HUD’s press release appears speculative and does not include any analysis, and so does not affect any of the findings included in the Alliance’s analysis.
The Top Lines
Homelessness is down in the United States for the second year in a row. Between 2025 and 2026, an independent Alliance analysis estimates that the nationwide homeless population dropped by 6.7%.
%
7.9% decrease in sheltered homelessness
%
4.9% decrease in unsheltered homelessness
%
7.8% decrease in veteran homelessness
%
1.0% increase in chronic homelessness
Behind The Numbers
This analysis was authored by Jared Schachner, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy, affiliated with its Homelessness Policy Research Institute and Lusk Center for Real Estate. It was commissioned by the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The current estimate of the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is based on data that was either publicly reported or submitted to the Alliance by various Continuums of Care throughout the country. The full methodology can be found in the report.
What is the Point-in-Time (PIT) Count?
A point-in-time count is an unduplicated count on a single night of the people in a community who are experiencing homelessness. It includes both sheltered and unsheltered populations.
What Does It All Mean?
While the analysis details many reasons for these decreases, one factor is abundantly clear: homeless services systems and providers nationwide are successfully using their limited resources to reach people in need.
Moving forward it is essential that elected officials at all levels recognize that this workforce is essential to the well-being of their communities, and that these systems deserve the appropriate investment to allow them to do what they do best: get people off the streets and back into permanent housing. Supporting those efforts will require investments not only in homeless services, but in the broader unmet needs for affordable housing and healthcare for all Americans.
This is how we as a nation sustain our current momentum and ultimately meet the goal of ending homelessness in the United States.
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