Which cities have the largest homeless populations?
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A nationwide effort tallies the number of people without shelter on a single night each winter. And in January 2024, the count revealed that about 771,480 people were homeless in the US. However, every locality conducts its count differently. What does homelessness look like across these cities and towns?
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) divides the US into 385 continuums of care, which are groups of service agencies responsible for coordinating homelessness services. They range in size and membership from a single city to a grouping of rural areas.
- The largest homeless populations among urban and suburban areas were in the continuums containing New York City (140,134 people) and Los Angeles (71,201). These, of course, are also the two most populous cities in the country.
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- Seventeen urban or suburban continuums identified at least 5,000 homeless individuals each in 2024.
- How people experience homelessness varies by location. For example, 30% of LA’s homeless population was in an emergency shelter, transitional housing, or a safe haven program. Meanwhile, 97% of New York's population was unsheltered.
- Homelessness has risen in recent years. HUD estimates that the number of homeless people increased 32% from 2022 to 2024. The 653,104 unhoused people in 2023 marked the highest number recorded since point-in-time counts began in 2007. That number rose another 18% in 2024.
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How do national parks affect the economy?
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Thinking about taking a hike? Your visit to a national park does more than offer scenic views: It also boosts local economies by supporting jobs and generating wages. In 2023, a total of 325 million national parks visitors spent an estimated $26.4 billion — the most in a decade. Let’s explore how national parks contribute to the economy and how visitors spend their money in the great outdoors.
- In 2023, visitors spent the most money at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina: $2.2 billion. Two other parks generated over $1 billion: California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area ($1.5 billion) and the Blue Ridge Parkway ($1.4 billion), which also spans Tennessee and North Carolina.
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- Visitors spent the biggest chunk of their vacation money (37.5%) on lodging, totaling $9.9 billion. Restaurants were the second-biggest expense ($5.15 billion), followed by gas, recreation, and retail, which ranged between $2.1 billion and $2.8 billion. They spent the least on groceries ($1.7 billion) and camping ($560 million).
- In 2023, there were 415,400 jobs in local economies tied to supporting national park visitors, generating $19.4 billion in wages and salaries. California had the most jobs supported by park visitors (39,700). North Carolina was close behind at 38,800 jobs.
- The National Park Service calculates four economic effects of visitor spending:economic output through sales, value added to local GDP, jobs supported, and labor income. How does that apply to your morning omelet in the hotel before hitting the trails? Read the article to find out.
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The Trump administration has paused at least $60 million in funds for affordable housing developments. Here’s our data-driven guide on subsidized housing and home affordability. President Trump has also signed an order for the government to retain bitcoin, a type of cryptocurrency, that it’s previously seized in criminal and civil proceedings.
Measles cases have continued to spread in Texas and New Mexico. We’ll have more on vaccinations next week, but you can get a sneak peek at childhood vaccination data right now.
If you’ve kept up with recent reports at USAFacts, you’ll ace the weekly fact quiz. |
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