When it is -30°F outside in Fargo and you have nowhere to sleep, the difference between a hotel voucher and no voucher is not inconvenience — it is survival. North Dakota’s winters rank among the most severe in the continental United States, and the state’s small, scattered population means that outside of Fargo and Bismarck, … Read more
Montana has approximately 2,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the fourth largest state by area — a striking combination of scale and sparsity that makes emergency housing uniquely challenging. Billings and Missoula have the most developed homeless services; Great Falls, Bozeman, Helena, and Kalispell have smaller but active systems. Montana’s winters are … Read more
Idaho has approximately 2,500 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in a state whose rapid population growth has driven housing costs far beyond what low-income residents can afford. Boise has emerged as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, and its homeless population has grown correspondingly — the Treasure Valley now has … Read more
Delaware is the second smallest state in the country, but its homelessness challenge is proportionally significant. Approximately 1,000 people experience homelessness on any given night in a state where housing costs — particularly in the Wilmington suburbs and Sussex County beach communities — are among the highest in the mid-Atlantic region. Wilmington has the most … Read more
Maine has approximately 4,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night — a significant number for a state its size, driven by some of the highest housing cost burdens in New England and a severe shortage of affordable housing. Portland is Maine’s largest city and has one of the most concentrated homeless populations in New … Read more
Arkansas has approximately 2,500 people experiencing homelessness on any given night, with Little Rock accounting for the largest concentration. Fort Smith, Fayetteville, and Jonesboro have smaller but active homeless service systems. The state’s rural Delta counties in the east — among the poorest communities in the United States — and the Ozarks in the northwest … Read more
Connecticut has approximately 4,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in one of the wealthiest states in the country — a stark illustration of how high housing costs and concentrated poverty coexist. Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport have significant urban homeless populations, while Waterbury, Stamford, and New London also have active service systems. Connecticut … Read more
New Jersey has approximately 8,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in one of the most expensive states in the country. The state’s proximity to New York City and Philadelphia creates unique pressures — housing costs in North Jersey rival Manhattan suburbs, while South Jersey communities near Philadelphia face similar dynamics. Newark, Trenton, Camden, … Read more
Utah has approximately 4,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night, with the Salt Lake City metro area accounting for the vast majority. Utah has been recognized nationally for significant progress in reducing veteran homelessness and chronic homelessness, driven by its adoption of a Housing First approach. Salt Lake City’s downtown homeless services infrastructure has … Read more
Mississippi has approximately 2,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night — a relatively small number that reflects both the state’s rural character and the reality that many people who are homeless in Mississippi are not counted because they are doubled up with family or living in severely substandard housing. Jackson is the state’s only … Read more