Students Experiencing Homelessness in United States

United States

Homelessness and housing instability can contribute to poor health, especially for children and adolescents. Common health problems among homeless children and youth include:

• Greater incidence of illness and injury.
• Greater prevalence and severity of chronic conditions.
• Higher rates of sexual and emotional abuse, with associated increases in sexually transmitted infections and unplanned or unwanted pregnancies.
• Higher prevalence of mental health problems and substance abuse.
• Increased risk of poor nutrition and diabetes.

Many homeless children attend school. During the 2021-2022 school year, more than a million students were identified by schools as homeless. Families with children made up nearly 30% of the total homeless population in 2023, with about 57,000 family households experiencing homelessness in one single night. Almost 35,000 unaccompanied youth under the age of 25 experienced homelessness in a single night that year, 9% of whom were children under 18.

According to the National Center for Homeless Education, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, Hispanic and multiracial students are overrepresented in homelessness compared with Asian and white students. Additional research has found that LGBT youth and those who have experienced housing instability, severe family conflict or abuse have a higher risk of homelessness as well.

Ending student homelessness requires a coordinated community and government response. Early identification of and intervention with at-risk youth should involve collaboration among child welfare agencies, criminal justice systems, education systems and community programs. 

Housing and school partnerships offer a promising approach to ending student homelessness. These partnerships aim to build housing stability for families and increase school attendance among youth. For students experiencing the instability of homelessness, supportive school environments can be a place of safety and security. Schools also provide meals, which are critical for students who may not have access to food at home.

More permanent solutions, such as affordable housing and transitional living programs, are important to preventing reentry into homelessness. Solutions like Housing First programs have seen success in increasing housing stability. Evidence suggests that the economic benefits of these programs outweigh the costs. 

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness has identified four developmentally appropriate approaches to reducing housing instability among youth and young adults. The National Conference of State Legislatures provides an overview of recent state policy action related to youth homelessness in the areas of education, foster care, juvenile justice, minor consent for services, vital identification records and shelters. The Voices of Youth Count provides several recommendations for addressing youth homelessness, including tracking progress, tailoring strategies to high-risk populations and building preventive structures into existing systems.

Healthy People 2030 recognizes the role of safe housing as a social determinant of health and has an objective to reduce the proportion of families that spend more than 30% of their income on housing. 

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness has a goal of reducing housing instability among youth and young adults.

Atwell, Matthew N., Eleanor P. Manspile, and John M. Bridgeland. “Strategies for Success: Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness.” Civic, July 2020. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED607092.pdf.

de Sousa, Tanya, Alyssa Andrichik, Ed Prestera, Katherine Rush, Colette Tano, and Micaiah Wheeler. “The 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress Part 1: Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness December 2023.” U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development, December 2023. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2023-AHAR-Part-1.pdf.

Endres, Christina. “National Center for Homeless Education: Student Homelessness in America School Years 2019-20 to 2021-22.” University of North Carolina at Greensboro: National Center for Homeless Education, 2023. https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/SY-21-22-EHCY-Data-Summary_FINAL.pdf.

Jacob, Verughese, Sajal K. Chattopadhyay, Sharon Attipoe-Dorcoo, Yinan Peng, Robert A. Hahn, Ramona Finnie, Jamaicia Cobb, Alison E. Cuellar, Karen M. Emmons, and Patrick L. Remington. “Permanent Supportive Housing With Housing First: Findings From a Community Guide Systematic Economic Review.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 62, no. 3 (March 2022): e188–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.08.009.

Landers, Patrick A. “Runaway and Homeless Youth: Demographics and Programs.” Congressional Research Service, March 26, 2019. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33785.

Morton, Matthew H., Amy Dworsky, and Gina Miranda Samuels. “Missed Opportunities: Youth Homelessness in America. National Estimates.” Research-to-Impact Brief. Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, 2017. https://voicesofyouthcount.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/VoYC-National-Estimates-Brief-Chapin-Hall-2017.pdf.

Terry, Marisa J., Gurpreet Bedi, and Neil D. Patel. “Healthcare Needs of Homeless Youth in the United States.” Journal of Pediatric Sciences 2 (2010): e17. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/178794.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. “All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.” Washington, D.C., December 2022. https://www.usich.gov/All_In.pdf.