Massachusetts homeless unhoused population in national ranking from Housing Urban Development data encampments

Massachusetts has ranked among the worst states in the country for homelessness, according to federal data.

Massachusetts had the fifth-largest homeless population in the country as of January 2024, when the last official count was conducted, according to a new list compiled by Visual Capitalist using data from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. Visual Capitalist is a website that uses data visualization to try to make information easier to understand.

The count found 771,000 homeless people across the country as of last January. Visual Capitalist noted the totals can be off because the local groups conducting the counts use different methods, which can “undercount unsheltered populations, people couch‑surfing, or those avoiding contact."

Massachusetts’ homeless popu