Frequently Asked Questions about Homelessness

How many homeless people are there in Chicago?

According to a December 2006 estimate by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and the UIC Survey Research Lab, there were 73,656 people who experienced homelessness in the course of a year and 21,178 on a given night. Read the study: How many people are homeless in Chicago? (Word document).

How many homeless people are there in Illinois?

CCH has not attempted a statewide estimate using the same methodology with which we did the city estimate. However, based on the Illinois Department of Human Services annual report, we do know that around 40,000 people a year are served in state-funded shelters and that the Illinois State Board of Education estimates that there are 60,000 school-aged children in Illinois that are homeless each year.

How many homeless people are there in a particular neighborhood?

CCH does not have any data that breaks down the number of homeless people by Chicago neighborhoods.

What percentage of people experiencing homelessness are single adults, families, men, women, youth?

According to the CCH estimate, 52 percent were members of families, 44 percent were single adults and 10 percent were unaccompanied homeless youth. (The percentages add up to more than 100 percent because there is some overlap between homeless youth and the other two categories).

According to city of Chicago estimates, 26.2 percent of the homeless population are families, 57.4 percent are single men, 16.4 percent are single women and 0 percent are homeless youth. Source: U.S. Conference of Mayors, Hunger and Homelessness Survery (PDF)

How many homeless people have a substance abuse problem?

Approximately 30 percent, according to the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Source: Hunger and Homelessness Survery (PDF)

How many homeless people suffer from mental illness?
Approximately between 20 and 25 percent have a serious mental illness.

How many homeless people are survivors of domestic violence?
56 percent of women in homeless shelters reported that they had experienced domestic violence. Source: Center for Impact Research, Pathways to and from Homelessness: Women and Children in Chicago Shelters (PDF)

What is the racial breakdown of homeless people in Chicago?
We do not have a racial breakdown for everyone who is homeless, but we do have a breakdown of those served in city-funded homeless shelters in fiscal year 2005:
African American: 76.3 percent
White: 10.8 percent
Latino: 10.8 percent
Asian: .6 percent
(Source: CDHS annual report)