It’s a myth homelessness is primarily a problem in blue states — areas with an abundance of services available to people who won’t help themselves. This falsehood is related to the belief homeless people in a particular area
aren’t local. In reality, homelessness touches every part of the United States, from urban to rural areas, from the coast to the mountains, from blue states to red states. Unhoused people may not be visible, but they are in your community.
California, Oregon, New York, and the cities within them receive significant attention regarding reporting on the homelessness crisis. But these blue states aren’t the only places with many residents experiencing homelessness. Here’s a list of the top 15 states with the highest number of unhoused people:
- California: 161,548
- New York: 91,271
- Florida: 27,487
- Texas: 27,229
- Washington: 22,923
- Massachusetts: 17,975
- Oregon: 14,655
- Pennsylvania: 13,375
- Arizona: 10,979
- Ohio: 10,655
- Illinois: 10,431
- Georgia: 10,234
- Colorado: 9,846
- New Jersey: 9,662
- North Carolina: 9,280
- Debunking Myths: Homelessness is a blue state problem - Pallet Shelter