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Which states have the highest and lowest homelessness rates?
Every January, the Department of Housing and Urban Development holds a one-night count to assess how many people are experiencing homelessness nationwide. The 2023 count revealed that [homelessness rose 12.1%]([link removed]) from the previous year. State rates vary due to housing affordability and other factors.
- California had the highest total number of people experiencing homelessness, 181,399, followed by New York with 103,200 and Florida with 30,756.
[Chart on the highest homelessness rates in the US]([link removed])
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The picture is slightly different when considering the number of homeless people per 10,000 people overall. New York and Vermont had the highest state rates, with New York at 52.7 per 10,000 people and Vermont at 50.9. Mississippi had the lowest state rate: 3.3 per 10,000 people.
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However, Washington, DC, had the nation’s highest rate overall: 72.5 people experiencing homelessness per 10,000 residents. The US homelessness rate was 19.4 per 10,000 people.
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Some of the states with the highest rates have seen higher-than-average increases in the last five years. In Vermont, the homelessness rate was 20.6 per 10,000 in 2018 and 50.9 per 10,000 in 2023.
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Connecticut, Hawaii, and Maryland had the largest drops in homelessness rates, though those decreases were comparably modest — each had two to three fewer homeless people per 10,000 residents than in 2018.
[Learn more about this count]([link removed]) and the difference between sheltered and unsheltered homelessness. And since homelessness counts can be flawed, [here’s a rundown of what the data can miss]([link removed]).
Who's participating in youth sports?
With the college basketball season just wrapping up and Major League Baseball in full swing, sports are on the minds of many Americans. However, they seem to be on the minds of US youth less and less. Are [fewer kids playing sports]([link removed]) these days? Here’s a look at the data.
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In 2019, 56.7% of kids ages 12 to 17 were involved in sports. By 2022, 52.1% were. As for younger athletes, 53.5% of kids ages 6 to 11 played sports in 2019, and that rate rose to 55.7% in 2022.
[Map of youth sports participation rates]([link removed])
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Sports participation rates tend to be higher in the northern US than in other parts of the country. In 2022, Vermont (69.4%), Iowa (67.8%), North Dakota (66.7%), Maine (64.4%), and Wyoming (64.4%) had the highest percentages of kids playing sports. New Mexico had the lowest rate, 40.8%, more than five percentage points behind any other state.
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Surveys indicate that family income plays a role in youth sports participation. Children living below the poverty line participated at lower rates (33.3%) than kids in higher income brackets (41.3% for family incomes one to two times the federal poverty level).
See the demographics of [youth sports participation here]([link removed]).
The 2024 Government 10-K
USAFacts has just unveiled [its latest Government 10-K]([link removed]). This Tax Day, use this in-depth accounting to gain insight into the collection, expenditure, and outcomes of taxpayer dollars. Whether the country has been well served by its governments, that’s up to you. [Dive into the data]([link removed]) and see for yourself.
Data behind the news
Norfolk Southern has agreed to pay $600 million to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding the February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The derailment was high-profile and raised the question: [Are train derailments becoming more common]([link removed])?
Last Wednesday, Congress held a hearing about the Education Department’s botched FAFSA rollout. In 2021–2022, 17.5 million students applied for federal aid to help pay for college. While the government tries to fix the issue, here’s a look at [how much Americans owe in student debt]([link removed]).
Are you up for the [weekly fact quiz]([link removed])?
One last fact
[Chart showing who is most likely to use telehealth]([link removed])
From April 2021 to August 2022, a monthly average of 22.0% of adults reported using [telehealth services]([link removed]). Usage rates were lowest among uninsured people (9.4%), young adults ages 18 to 24 (17.6%), and Midwest residents (18.7%). The highest rates were among people covered by Medicaid (28.3%) and Medicare (26.8%), as well as Black people (26.1%).
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