New Jersey · Affordability
Homelessness in New Jersey
One-night count of people sleeping outdoors, in vehicles, or in places not meant for habitation, per 10,000 residents.
2 per 10K in 2024
#10 of 50 · Top tier (lower is better)
New Jersey is better than the 50-state median (3 per 10K). That's a gap of 2 per 10K.
View interactive chart & trend → See full 50-state ranking →
2007 – 2024 · New Jersey only · interactive chart with US median overlay →
About homelessness
What this measures: Point-in-time count of people sleeping outdoors, in vehicles, or in places not meant for habitation, per 10,000 residents.
Why it matters: Unsheltered homelessness is the most visible end of housing failure and the most expensive to address through emergency services.
Watch out: Based on a single January-night count, which understates the true population. Total homelessness (sheltered plus unsheltered) is typically two to three times higher.
Recent trend
| Year | New Jersey | US median |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 per 10K | 2 per 10K |
| 2015 | 1 per 10K | 2 per 10K |
| 2016 | 2 per 10K | 2 per 10K |
| 2017 | 2 per 10K | 2 per 10K |
| 2018 | 2 per 10K | 2 per 10K |
| 2019 | 2 per 10K | 2 per 10K |
| 2020 | 2 per 10K | 2 per 10K |
| 2022 | 1 per 10K | 2 per 10K |
| 2023 | 2 per 10K | 3 per 10K |
| 2024 | 2 per 10K | 3 per 10K |
New Jersey vs. neighboring states
Same metric (homelessness), latest year with full state coverage. Click any name for that state's full report.
| State | Homelessness | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 3 per 10K | #21 of 50 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 per 10K | #13 of 50 |
| Delaware | 2 per 10K | #16 of 50 |
How New Jersey compares (2024)
Top 5 best
| #1 | Wisconsin | 1 per 10K |
| #2 | Iowa | 1 per 10K |
| #3 | Nebraska | 2 per 10K |
| #4 | Wyoming | 2 per 10K |
| #5 | Connecticut | 2 per 10K |
Bottom 5
| #46 | Nevada | 15 per 10K |
| #47 | Washington | 20 per 10K |
| #48 | Hawaiʻi | 28 per 10K |
| #49 | California | 31 per 10K |
| #50 | Oregon | 33 per 10K |
Source and methodology
Source: HUD PIT Count · Direction: lower is better · Unit: per 10K
Download raw CSV (all 50 states, all years)