Veteran Homelessness Falls in 43 States, D.C.

Federal data shows veteran homelessness declined across most of the country from 2011 to 2025, with Oregon and Delaware among the exceptions.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Military Jobs

Low-rise brick residential building with a flagpole and concrete walkway in warm golden-hour light, with no people visible. — Veteran homelessness fell between 2011 and 2025 in 43 states and Washington, D.C., while Oregon rose 11% and Delaware's count increased by 39 people, according to HUD data. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you think homelessness among U.S. veterans has been getting better over the past decade?

Veteran homelessness declined in 43 states and Washington, D.C., between 2011 and 2025, according to an Axios analysis of Housing and Urban Development data. Oregon saw veteran homelessness rise by 11% after 2011, while Delaware recorded the largest percentage increase.

Why it matters

The trends point to uneven progress in reducing veteran homelessness nationally, with declines concentrated in several states while a few, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, moved in the opposite direction. The divergence raises questions about which state-level approaches are working across the United States.

Point-in-time counts show Louisiana declined 75% and Georgia 72% between 2011 and 2025, while Oregon had roughly 74 homeless veterans per 10,000 veterans in 2025. The data does not explain the drivers behind the state-by-state differences.

The players

Housing and Urban Development

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is the federal agency that collects the point-in-time homelessness data used in the analysis.

Axios

Axios is a news outlet that conducted the analysis of Housing and Urban Development data on veteran homelessness.

The details

Between 2011 and 2025, veteran homelessness fell in 43 states and Washington, D.C., based on annual January counts from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Delaware, which received federal recognition in 2016 for effectively ending veteran homelessness, nonetheless saw its count rise by 39 people over the period.

2011: Baseline year for the comparison of veteran homelessness counts.
2016: Delaware receives federal recognition for effectively ending veteran homelessness.
January 2025: Point-in-time count of veteran homelessness is taken.
2025: End year of the comparison period.

Market Landscape

Veteran homelessness has been tracked through the Housing and Urban Development point-in-time counts, which allow state-by-state comparison over time. The 2011 to 2025 comparison shows that national progress has been uneven across states.

Veterans in states where homelessness rose may face fewer local housing options than those in states where counts fell. Readers in those states may find it useful to check local veteran service programs for housing assistance.

The takeaway

Progress on veteran homelessness has varied sharply by state, so a single national trend can hide significant local setbacks. Tracking state-level counts over time is the clearest way to see where efforts are working.