How many homeless people in Florida?

According to the 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, Florida has the third highest number of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons in the United States, with 28,324 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2022. This number represents a decrease of 6.5% from the previous year, when 30,369 people were experiencing homelessness in Florida.

The largest share of sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in Florida is located in Miami-Dade County, which accounts for 28% of the total number of homeless persons in the state. Other counties with high numbers of homeless people include Broward County (17%), Palm Beach County (13%), and Hillsborough County (12%).

The majority of homeless people in Florida are single adults (63%), followed by families with children (28%) and unaccompanied youth (9%). The largest share of homeless people in the state are Black or African American (44%), followed by White (32%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%).

The leading cause of homelessness in Florida is the lack of affordable housing (42%). Other contributing factors include poverty (28%), unemployment (20%), and mental illness or addiction (15%).

The State of Florida provides a variety of programs and services to assist homeless persons, including emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent housing, and employment training. The state also works with local governments and nonprofit organizations to provide homeless persons with access to food, healthcare, and other essential services.