Data & Reports
Understanding the scale and causes of homelessness in Phoenix is essential for solving it. We publish clear, accessible data for community members, advocates, and policymakers.
Maricopa County by the numbers
in Maricopa County (2024 PIT Count)
with one of the fastest-growing unsheltered populations
to services statewide — call or text
Primary data sources
The data we reference comes from publicly available government and nonprofit sources:
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HUD
HUD Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR)
National data on homelessness trends, demographics, and program utilization. The most comprehensive federal dataset on homelessness in the U.S.
hudexchange.info -
Local
Maricopa Regional CoC Point-in-Time Count
Annual count of sheltered and unsheltered people in Maricopa County, conducted each January. The primary local benchmark for tracking homelessness trends.
maricoparegionalcoc.org -
Federal
USICH — U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
Federal policy data, community profiles, and evidence-based intervention research. Coordinates the federal response across 19 agencies.
usich.gov -
State
Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH)
State housing data, HMIS reporting, and affordable housing program information for Arizona.
housing.az.gov
What the data shows
Phoenix's homelessness rate has grown faster than most major cities over the past decade. The primary driver is not a sudden increase in the number of people in crisis — it's housing costs rising faster than incomes, with insufficient affordable housing supply to bridge the gap. When housing becomes unaffordable for the lowest-income households, there is nowhere to fall back to.
The majority of people experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County are single adults. Families make up roughly 25% of the Point-in-Time count — and family homelessness is often more hidden, with households doubling up with relatives or staying in motels before showing up in official counts. Veterans and people with chronic health conditions are overrepresented relative to the general population.
The data consistently shows that permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing programs produce better long-term outcomes than shelter alone. People who exit homelessness through a housing program are far less likely to return than those who cycle through emergency shelter. But both approaches remain underfunded relative to need — and shelter capacity still falls short of demand on any given night.
More reports coming
We're building toward regular data publications — including neighborhood-level resource maps, shelter capacity tracking, and trend analysis. If you work in research, government, or policy and want to collaborate, reach out.
Contact us →