GITNUXREPORT 2026

Homeless Women Statistics

Over one-third of US homeless individuals are women who face disproportionate health and safety risks.

Alexander Schmidt

Research Analyst specializing in technology and digital transformation trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

In 2023, 37.3% of the homeless population in the US were women, totaling approximately 151,000 individuals on a single night.

Statistic 2

Among chronically homeless individuals in 2023, women comprised 42.5% of the total.

Statistic 3

Black women represented 53% of homeless women in the US in 2023.

Statistic 4

In 2022, 82% of homeless women in the US had at least one child under 18.

Statistic 5

The median age of homeless women in major US cities is 42 years old according to 2021 data.

Statistic 6

In California, women make up 44% of the homeless population as of 2023.

Statistic 7

Indigenous women are 8 times more likely to experience homelessness than white women in Canada, per 2022 stats.

Statistic 8

In the UK, 21% of rough sleepers identified as women in 2023.

Statistic 9

In Australia, 41% of homeless women are aged 25-34, based on 2021 census.

Statistic 10

In New York City, 60% of single homeless adults in shelters are women in 2023.

Statistic 11

28% of homeless women in the US are veterans, double the rate for men, per 2022 VA data.

Statistic 12

In 2023, 15% of homeless women in the US identified as LGBTQ+.

Statistic 13

Hispanic/Latina women constitute 22% of homeless women despite being 18% of the female population.

Statistic 14

In Seattle, 48% of unsheltered homeless are women as of 2023.

Statistic 15

Asian women make up 4% of homeless women in the US, per 2023 HUD PIT.

Statistic 16

In 2022, 65% of homeless mothers in family homelessness were women heading single-parent households.

Statistic 17

White women are 28% of the homeless female population in the US.

Statistic 18

In Los Angeles, 41% of homeless individuals are women, with 70% sheltered.

Statistic 19

12% of homeless women in the US are over 55 years old, per 2023 data.

Statistic 20

In Chicago, women represent 55% of sheltered homeless singles in 2023.

Statistic 21

Multiracial women are 5% of homeless women nationally.

Statistic 22

In 2023, 9% of homeless women reported being pregnant at the time of survey.

Statistic 23

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women are 2% of homeless women.

Statistic 24

In Boston, 52% of family shelter residents are women with children.

Statistic 25

56% of homeless women are unemployed, with average income below $500/month.

Statistic 26

42% of homeless women have no high school diploma.

Statistic 27

Only 18% of homeless women receive minimum wage jobs consistently.

Statistic 28

Childcare costs prevent 65% of homeless mothers from working.

Statistic 29

73% of homeless women rely on public assistance as primary income.

Statistic 30

Wage gap: Homeless women earn 20% less than housed low-income women.

Statistic 31

31% of homeless women were employed full-time before homelessness.

Statistic 32

Eviction rates due to rent burden affect 50% of at-risk women.

Statistic 33

44% have criminal records impacting employability.

Statistic 34

Gig economy participation is 12% among homeless women, unstable.

Statistic 35

67% cannot afford housing on SSI benefits alone ($943/month).

Statistic 36

Transportation barriers prevent 58% from job interviews.

Statistic 37

25% of homeless women are underemployed in service jobs.

Statistic 38

Health costs bankrupt 39% leading to job loss.

Statistic 39

48% lack banking services, trapping in cash economy.

Statistic 40

Discrimination reduces job offers by 30% for homeless women.

Statistic 41

52% experience workplace sexual harassment exacerbating instability.

Statistic 42

Only 8% access vocational training programs effectively.

Statistic 43

Rent increases of 15% annually displace 35% of working poor women.

Statistic 44

70% of homeless women in the US have experienced domestic violence leading to homelessness.

Statistic 45

45% of homeless women suffer from severe mental illness compared to 30% of homeless men.

Statistic 46

38% of homeless women have PTSD rates three times higher than the general population.

Statistic 47

Homeless women have a 63% prevalence of depression.

Statistic 48

26% of homeless women are HIV-positive, 17 times the national average.

Statistic 49

Substance use disorders affect 36% of homeless women.

Statistic 50

Homeless women experience 16 years shorter life expectancy than housed women.

Statistic 51

92% of homeless women report chronic physical health issues like hypertension.

Statistic 52

Tuberculosis rates among homeless women are 20 times higher than general population.

Statistic 53

55% of homeless women have untreated dental problems leading to infections.

Statistic 54

Anemia affects 40% of homeless women due to poor nutrition.

Statistic 55

Homeless women have 5 times higher rates of intimate partner violence-related injuries.

Statistic 56

68% of homeless women report chronic pain syndromes.

Statistic 57

Hepatitis C prevalence is 36% among homeless women.

Statistic 58

47% of homeless women have asthma exacerbated by homelessness.

Statistic 59

Suicide attempt rates are 74% lifetime for homeless women.

Statistic 60

62% of homeless women experience seizures or neurological issues from trauma.

Statistic 61

Diabetes prevalence is 25% among homeless women, poorly managed.

Statistic 62

80% of homeless women lack access to regular gynecological care.

Statistic 63

Arthritis affects 50% of homeless women over 40.

Statistic 64

33% of homeless women have eating disorders history.

Statistic 65

Vision impairment due to untreated issues is 28%.

Statistic 66

41% report hearing loss from chronic infections.

Statistic 67

27% of homeless women receive TANF, insufficient for housing.

Statistic 68

Only 22% of homeless women access emergency shelters designed for women.

Statistic 69

61% report barriers to mental health services due to lack of ID.

Statistic 70

Transitional housing reaches only 15% of homeless women annually.

Statistic 71

44% of homeless mothers lose custody due to shelter ineligibility.

Statistic 72

Substance abuse treatment completion rate for homeless women is 29%.

Statistic 73

53% wait over 6 months for Section 8 vouchers.

Statistic 74

Domestic violence shelters serve only 35% of fleeing women.

Statistic 75

Legal aid for eviction prevention aids 19% of at-risk women.

Statistic 76

Healthcare access via Medicaid covers 72%, but appointments missed 40%.

Statistic 77

Job training programs enroll 14% of homeless women effectively.

Statistic 78

Childcare subsidies reach 23% of homeless mothers working.

Statistic 79

Rapid rehousing success rate is 68% for homeless women families.

Statistic 80

37% access food stamps, but stigma reduces usage.

Statistic 81

Permanent supportive housing fills 80% of units with women.

Statistic 82

Trauma-informed care available to 26% of homeless women.

Statistic 83

75% of homeless women have experienced sexual assault, leading to higher STI rates.

Statistic 84

90% of homeless women have faced physical violence while homeless.

Statistic 85

Women experiencing homelessness are 8 times more likely to be raped than housed women.

Statistic 86

63% of homeless women report childhood sexual abuse history.

Statistic 87

Daily sexual harassment affects 57% of homeless women on streets.

Statistic 88

41% of homeless women have been assaulted with weapons while homeless.

Statistic 89

Intimate partner violence causes 38% of homelessness episodes for women.

Statistic 90

70% of homeless mothers lost housing due to abusive partners.

Statistic 91

Stalking affects 52% of homeless women annually.

Statistic 92

85% lifetime prevalence of physical abuse for homeless women.

Statistic 93

29% of homeless women report gang-related violence exposure.

Statistic 94

Police violence incidents reported by 22% of homeless women.

Statistic 95

67% have witnessed violence against other homeless women.

Statistic 96

Child protective services involvement due to violence in 45% of homeless families.

Statistic 97

51% of homeless women fear for their life daily due to threats.

Statistic 98

Elder abuse among homeless women over 50 is 18%.

Statistic 99

76% report verbal harassment escalating to physical attacks.

Statistic 100

Trafficking survivors comprise 12% of homeless women.

Statistic 101

34% have been beaten by family members leading to homelessness.

Statistic 102

Robbery victimization rate is 60% yearly for street homeless women.

1/102

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

+497

Behind the staggering number of approximately 151,000 women experiencing homelessness on any given night in the US lies a crisis defined by staggering levels of violence, disproportionately affecting women of color and mothers, and a profound gap between the systemic failures they face and the supportive services they desperately need.

Key Takeaways

In 2023, 37.3% of the homeless population in the US were women, totaling approximately 151,000 individuals on a single night.
Among chronically homeless individuals in 2023, women comprised 42.5% of the total.
Black women represented 53% of homeless women in the US in 2023.
70% of homeless women in the US have experienced domestic violence leading to homelessness.
45% of homeless women suffer from severe mental illness compared to 30% of homeless men.
38% of homeless women have PTSD rates three times higher than the general population.
75% of homeless women have experienced sexual assault, leading to higher STI rates.
90% of homeless women have faced physical violence while homeless.
Women experiencing homelessness are 8 times more likely to be raped than housed women.
56% of homeless women are unemployed, with average income below $500/month.
42% of homeless women have no high school diploma.
Only 18% of homeless women receive minimum wage jobs consistently.
27% of homeless women receive TANF, insufficient for housing.
Only 22% of homeless women access emergency shelters designed for women.
61% report barriers to mental health services due to lack of ID.

Over one-third of US homeless individuals are women who face disproportionate health and safety risks.

Demographics

In 2023, 37.3% of the homeless population in the US were women, totaling approximately 151,000 individuals on a single night.
Among chronically homeless individuals in 2023, women comprised 42.5% of the total.
Black women represented 53% of homeless women in the US in 2023.
In 2022, 82% of homeless women in the US had at least one child under 18.
The median age of homeless women in major US cities is 42 years old according to 2021 data.
In California, women make up 44% of the homeless population as of 2023.
Indigenous women are 8 times more likely to experience homelessness than white women in Canada, per 2022 stats.
In the UK, 21% of rough sleepers identified as women in 2023.
In Australia, 41% of homeless women are aged 25-34, based on 2021 census.
In New York City, 60% of single homeless adults in shelters are women in 2023.
28% of homeless women in the US are veterans, double the rate for men, per 2022 VA data.
In 2023, 15% of homeless women in the US identified as LGBTQ+.
Hispanic/Latina women constitute 22% of homeless women despite being 18% of the female population.
In Seattle, 48% of unsheltered homeless are women as of 2023.
Asian women make up 4% of homeless women in the US, per 2023 HUD PIT.
In 2022, 65% of homeless mothers in family homelessness were women heading single-parent households.
White women are 28% of the homeless female population in the US.
In Los Angeles, 41% of homeless individuals are women, with 70% sheltered.
12% of homeless women in the US are over 55 years old, per 2023 data.
In Chicago, women represent 55% of sheltered homeless singles in 2023.
Multiracial women are 5% of homeless women nationally.
In 2023, 9% of homeless women reported being pregnant at the time of survey.
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women are 2% of homeless women.
In Boston, 52% of family shelter residents are women with children.

Demographics Interpretation

These numbers paint a grim portrait where homelessness is not a distant, anonymous crisis but a deeply gendered one, disproportionately impacting mothers, veterans, and women of color in the prime of their lives, systematically stripping away the safety and dignity that should be a universal right.

Economy

56% of homeless women are unemployed, with average income below $500/month.
42% of homeless women have no high school diploma.
Only 18% of homeless women receive minimum wage jobs consistently.
Childcare costs prevent 65% of homeless mothers from working.
73% of homeless women rely on public assistance as primary income.
Wage gap: Homeless women earn 20% less than housed low-income women.
31% of homeless women were employed full-time before homelessness.
Eviction rates due to rent burden affect 50% of at-risk women.
44% have criminal records impacting employability.
Gig economy participation is 12% among homeless women, unstable.
67% cannot afford housing on SSI benefits alone ($943/month).
Transportation barriers prevent 58% from job interviews.
25% of homeless women are underemployed in service jobs.
Health costs bankrupt 39% leading to job loss.
48% lack banking services, trapping in cash economy.
Discrimination reduces job offers by 30% for homeless women.
52% experience workplace sexual harassment exacerbating instability.
Only 8% access vocational training programs effectively.
Rent increases of 15% annually displace 35% of working poor women.

Economy Interpretation

These statistics are not a profile of failure but a receipt for systemic sabotage, where a society charges women for every step out of poverty only to evict them from the staircase.

Health

70% of homeless women in the US have experienced domestic violence leading to homelessness.
45% of homeless women suffer from severe mental illness compared to 30% of homeless men.
38% of homeless women have PTSD rates three times higher than the general population.
Homeless women have a 63% prevalence of depression.
26% of homeless women are HIV-positive, 17 times the national average.
Substance use disorders affect 36% of homeless women.
Homeless women experience 16 years shorter life expectancy than housed women.
92% of homeless women report chronic physical health issues like hypertension.
Tuberculosis rates among homeless women are 20 times higher than general population.
55% of homeless women have untreated dental problems leading to infections.
Anemia affects 40% of homeless women due to poor nutrition.
Homeless women have 5 times higher rates of intimate partner violence-related injuries.
68% of homeless women report chronic pain syndromes.
Hepatitis C prevalence is 36% among homeless women.
47% of homeless women have asthma exacerbated by homelessness.
Suicide attempt rates are 74% lifetime for homeless women.
62% of homeless women experience seizures or neurological issues from trauma.
Diabetes prevalence is 25% among homeless women, poorly managed.
80% of homeless women lack access to regular gynecological care.
Arthritis affects 50% of homeless women over 40.
33% of homeless women have eating disorders history.
Vision impairment due to untreated issues is 28%.
41% report hearing loss from chronic infections.

Health Interpretation

The grim statistics of homeless women paint not a picture of individual failure, but a damning portrait of a system that allows violence, untreated illness, and societal neglect to compound into a cascading health catastrophe that steals, on average, sixteen years of a life.

Services

27% of homeless women receive TANF, insufficient for housing.
Only 22% of homeless women access emergency shelters designed for women.
61% report barriers to mental health services due to lack of ID.
Transitional housing reaches only 15% of homeless women annually.
44% of homeless mothers lose custody due to shelter ineligibility.
Substance abuse treatment completion rate for homeless women is 29%.
53% wait over 6 months for Section 8 vouchers.
Domestic violence shelters serve only 35% of fleeing women.
Legal aid for eviction prevention aids 19% of at-risk women.
Healthcare access via Medicaid covers 72%, but appointments missed 40%.
Job training programs enroll 14% of homeless women effectively.
Childcare subsidies reach 23% of homeless mothers working.
Rapid rehousing success rate is 68% for homeless women families.
37% access food stamps, but stigma reduces usage.
Permanent supportive housing fills 80% of units with women.
Trauma-informed care available to 26% of homeless women.

Services Interpretation

The statistics paint a devastatingly efficient bureaucratic machine, meticulously designed to fail homeless women at nearly every turn they try to escape.

Violence

75% of homeless women have experienced sexual assault, leading to higher STI rates.
90% of homeless women have faced physical violence while homeless.
Women experiencing homelessness are 8 times more likely to be raped than housed women.
63% of homeless women report childhood sexual abuse history.
Daily sexual harassment affects 57% of homeless women on streets.
41% of homeless women have been assaulted with weapons while homeless.
Intimate partner violence causes 38% of homelessness episodes for women.
70% of homeless mothers lost housing due to abusive partners.
Stalking affects 52% of homeless women annually.
85% lifetime prevalence of physical abuse for homeless women.
29% of homeless women report gang-related violence exposure.
Police violence incidents reported by 22% of homeless women.
67% have witnessed violence against other homeless women.
Child protective services involvement due to violence in 45% of homeless families.
51% of homeless women fear for their life daily due to threats.
Elder abuse among homeless women over 50 is 18%.
76% report verbal harassment escalating to physical attacks.
Trafficking survivors comprise 12% of homeless women.
34% have been beaten by family members leading to homelessness.
Robbery victimization rate is 60% yearly for street homeless women.

Violence Interpretation

The statistics reveal a grim arithmetic: homeless women are not merely without shelter but are living targets, where the chronic violence they endure is both a cause of their homelessness and a relentless consequence of it.

Sources & References

Logos provided by Logo.dev