Downtown Dallas Homeless Count Falls to 19
An October 2026 survey counted 19 people in downtown Dallas, the fourth-lowest total in the historical table.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Property Crime
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A downtown Dallas homeless survey conducted October 28 counted 19 people, down from 22 in September and 30 in October 2025. Downtown crime also fell 28% year over year in October.
Why it matters
The count is far below the February 2024 peak of 411 and the historical average of 117, shifting the local picture of street homelessness downtown. The survey reflects only people observed during a downtown count, so it does not establish a citywide figure.
Downtown Dallas police had 130 officers assigned and approved as of September 30, and October offenses in the downtown comparison area fell from 333 to 240. Violent crimes dropped from 21 to 17, thefts from vehicles from 76 to 39, and burglaries from 13 to six.
The players
The Bridge
The Bridge is a homeless shelter in downtown Dallas near where eight of the 19 counted people were located.
Downtown Inc.
Downtown Inc. is the organization that reported the number of police officers assigned to downtown Dallas.
The details
The survey team began at 10 a.m. in 70-degree weather, and eight of the 19 people counted were in two sectors adjacent to The Bridge homeless shelter. Dallas offenses in October were 8.3 times those of downtown Fort Worth.
Timeline
February 2024: homeless count peaked at 411.
October 23, 2025: downtown homeless count was 30.
September 30: Downtown Inc. reported 130 assigned officers.
October 28: October homeless count was 19.
Seasonal Patterns
The October 2026 count of 19 is far below the February 2024 peak of 411 recorded in the downtown Dallas survey series. It sits well under the historical average of 117, placing this count among the lowest in the historical table.
Residents and businesses downtown may notice changes in police staffing and patrol presence as 130 officers are assigned to the area. The lower count and fewer thefts from vehicles and burglaries may affect how safe people feel walking and parking downtown.
The takeaway
Monitoring successive counts will show whether the October decline holds or reflects a short-term swing. Downtown visitors and property owners can check future survey results before drawing conclusions about the area's trend.
Further reading
For more on local trends, see Property Crime coverage for Dallas.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dallas Express.
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