How Does New York's Homelessness Crisis Compare Nationwide?

A recent study has put New York right at the top when it comes to homelessness, ranking second behind Vermont. So, what’s going on, and what does this mean for us here in the Empire State?

Homelessness in New York: The Numbers Aren’t Pretty

New York’s has around 103,000 people without a place to call home—and here’s the part that really hits hard: nearly 30% of them are kids and teens. That’s a whole lot of youngsters dealing with some tough situations. On top of that, about 6,200 people are stuck in long-term homelessness, meaning they’ve been going through this for a while.

How Does New York Compare to Other States?

Vermont takes the top spot with over 500 homeless people per 100,000 residents. California and Oregon aren’t far behind either, even though they have bigger populations. This is a nationwide problem that really needs more attention.

Kids and Veterans Are Hit Hard

One thing that jumps out in the study is how many young people are dealing with homelessness. In New York, around 28% of the homeless population are under 18—that’s a lot of kids just trying to make it through. Around 1% are veterans, so it's a tough stat when you look at how large the overall homeless population is.

Chronic Homelessness: A Long-Term Problem

Chronic homelessness is a tough one. It’s when someone has been without a home for a long time or keeps ending up back on the streets. In New York, more than 6,000 people are in that boat. It’s a sign that short-time solutions aren’t making it—we need long-term support to help people get back on their feet.

What Can Be Done?

The numbers are a lot but there are ways to help. Building more affordable housing, getting people access to mental health care, and making sure kids and vets get the support they need too. It’s not something that’ll get fixed overnight, but we need to start somewhere.

8 Must Have Items to Help the Homeless

Take a look at eight items that every homeless shelter needs. They don't cost much money and make a world of difference.

Gallery Credit: KEVIN MILLER

Have You Seen Them? 11 Kids Went Missing In New York State In February

The following list contains names and faces of 11 children reported missing in February 2025 across New York State. Do you have any information about them or have you seen them recently?

If so, please reach out to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; a private, non-profit 501 corporation whose mission is finding children, reducing child sexual exploitation, and preventing child victimization.

NCMEC works with families, victims, private industry, law enforcement, and the public to assist with preventing child abductions, recovering missing children, and providing services to deter and combat child sexual exploitation.

If you'd like to report information about a missing child to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's 24-hour hotline at 800–THE–LOST (800–843–5678).

Gallery Credit: Brian Cody TSM Albany