Analysis of Homelessness in NYC
Introduction
Homelessness is an ongoing, significant problem that affects various aspects of urban living. New York City Open Data offers data on the number of people participating in services administrated by the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). The data set, located here, offers monthly data from July 2015 to September 2023. This brief analysis aims to provide an overview of the over-time trends and the race, age, and gender of the population that DHS serves.
This graph displays the total unduplicated count of all people in homeless shelters over time. All three groups have experienced an increase since 2022, coinciding with the migrant crisis, which began in Spring 2022. The number has almost doubled for families with children, increasing from roughly 30,000 to 60,000. This upward trend is consistent with data showing that homelessness in NYC has reached a two-decade high (Newman 2024). Of note, individuals in adult families and single adults in shelters have recently seen a decrease. In March 2024, NYC passed a decree allowing DHS to refuse shelter to adult migrants after 30 days, so this decreasing trend of adults will likely continue (Ferré-Sadurní & Bensimon 2024).
This graph displays the racial demographics for three groups in September 2015 and 2023: the heads of households in adult families, the heads of households in families with kids, and single adults. Although Blacks and Hispanics make up about 50% of the NYC population (U.S Census Bureau, 2022), people of color represent more than 80% of those in homeless shelters, especially for families with children. Additionally, the percentage of Hispanics has grown, now representing more than half of the homeless shelter population among families. This growth is primarily due to the increase in asylum seekers from Central America, as more than 200,000 displaced migrants have passed through the city’s shelter systems since early 2022 (Ferre-Sadurni & Bensimon 2024).
This graph displays the total unduplicated count of people in homeless shelters by age in September 2015 and 2023. All age groups have experienced an increase in the population, with the most growth seen among 30 to 44-year-olds, which has almost doubled. In September 2023, 30 to 44-year-olds represented over a quarter of the population, and children under 18 comprised about a third of the shelter population.
| Date | Average daily census of single adult women | Average daily census of single adult men | Percentage of average daily census of single adult women | Percentage of average daily census of single adult men |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2023 | 4,779 | 15,021 | 24.14% | 75.86% |
| September 2022 | 4,282 | 13,943 | 23.5% | 76.5% |
| September 2021 | 4,029 | 12,150 | 24.9% | 75.1% |
| September 2021 | 4,029 | 12,150 | 24.9% | 75.1% |
| September 2020 | 4,540 | 13,264 | 25.5% | 74.5% |
| September 2019 | 4,512 | 11,868 | 27.55% | 72.45% |
| September 2018 | 4,365 | 11,252 | 27.95% | 72.05% |
| September 2017 | 3,963 | 10,226 | 27.93% | 72.07% |
| September 2015 | 3,492 | 8,755 | 28.51% | 71.49% |
| Note: | ||||
| Data source: https://data.cityofnewyork.us/Social-Services/DHS-Data-Dashboard/5e9h-x6ak/about_data |
This table represents the average daily census of single adults (not de-duplicated) by month and gender between September 2015 and 2023. Men make up a growing percentage of the homeless population, representing about three quarters of the population. In September 2023, DHS housed an average of 15,000 men per day, three times more than women. This gender divide is evident throughout the country as men are consistently overrepresented in the homeless population nationally. A few reasons cited include higher dropout and unemployment rates, as well as higher incidences of untreated substance use and mental health problems among men (National Alliance to End Homelessness 2024).
Note: To calculate the daily census of single adults, DHS takes the total number of people who stay in homeless shelters each day during a given month and then averages that figure over the entire month. The figure is not de-duplicated as it counts the number of people using shelters on any given day, regardless of whether the same individuals use the shelter multiple days in a row.
References
Ferré-Sadurní, L. & Bensimon, O. 2024. “A Growing Number of Homeless Migrants Are Sleeping on N.Y.C. Streets”. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/09/nyregion/migrants-homeless-encampment-nyc.html
National Alliance to End Homelessness. 2024. Demographic Data Project: Gender and Individual Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/demographic-data-project-gender-and-individual-homelessness/
Newman, A. 2024. “Number of People Living on New York City Streets Hits a Two-Decade High.” New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/13/nyregion/homelessnessstreets-subways-nyc.html
United States Census Bureau. 2022. New York City, New York. https://data.census.gov/profile/New_York,_New_York?g=160XX00US3651000