ORLANDO, Fla. – Homelessness among families in Florida has jumped nearly 30% in the past three years, according to a new study from the University of Florida.

The 2025 Rental Market Study , released by the university’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies, found rent for multifamily units rose nearly 40% from 2019 to 2023, even as more than 1 million households moved into the state.

[WATCH BELOW: The math of homelessness in Central Florida]

The report estimates about 904,000 renting households in Florida earn less than 60% of the median income and spend more than 40% of their paycheck on housing. Researchers say even though the state added 240,000 new apartments during that time, it was not enough to meet demand.

In Orlando, the shortage is especially severe. The average cost for a

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