The numbers tell a disheartening story. With a surge of 52.1% in the number of people experiencing homelessness, NH experienced the highest percentage increase in its Point in Time (PIT) Count of any state in 2023. In comparison, the national 2023 PIT Count grew only 12%.

Today, NH Coalition to End Homelessness (NHCEH) released the 2024 edition of The State of Homelessness in New Hampshire, a comprehensive analysis of the recent trends in homelessness in the Granite State published each year.

“This year’s report, based on available data from 2023, shows that, sadly, the growth in homelessness in NH continues, despite the passion and hard work that homeless service providers and other advocates expend every day to stem this tide,” said Jennifer Chisholm, Executive Director of the NH Coalition to End Homelessness. “It will take a lot of continued work to reverse these trends, but we know that homelessness is a solvable issue when the systems addressing it have ample resources and support.”

The State of Homelessness in New Hampshire report utilizes a cross-section of information sources to explore the landscape of homelessness across the state, including Point in Time (PIT) Count and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data. The PIT Count looks at the number of people experiencing homelessness during a single 24-hour period at the end of January, while HMIS data is more comprehensive, as it provides information for the whole calendar year. In addition to overall homelessness, the report also looks specifically at different subgroups of people experiencing homelessness in NH, including Veterans, aging adults, youth, and people who are chronically homeless or living unsheltered.

While Veteran homelessness in NH decreased by an impressive 21.3% in the 2023 PIT Count, other groups did not fare so well. The number of people in families experiencing homelessness during this same time period increased by nearly 50%, and the number of youth experiencing homelessness grew by almost 40%. In fact, one out of every five people who were homeless on the night of the PIT Count in January 2023 were children under the age of 18; four children spent that night unsheltered. Chronic homelessness, defined as a person with a disabling condition who has been unhoused for over 12 months, has increased by 51.8% in NH between 2022-2023, and by 150% since 2019.

Disparities exist in the rates of homelessness among racially and ethnically diverse populations in NH. For example, according to the year-long data, NH residents who are Black or African American are nearly four times more likely to experience homelessness than would be expected based on their representation in NH’s general population; the risk for people who are Hispanic and Latinx is nearly doubled.

For the first time in its history, The State of Homelessness in NH report specifically examines homelessness within NH’s LGBTQ+ community. National data shows that this is a population which is especially vulnerable to experiences of homelessness; unfortunately, NH’s data shows that this is also true within the Granite State.

This week, many regions across New Hampshire and the nation will hold vigils to recognize Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the past year while experiencing homelessness. These vigils traditionally align with the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Each name read is a poignant reminder that homelessness remains a public health crisis in the state.

“Although the current situation seems overwhelming, NHCEH holds high the torch of hope,” said Jennifer Chisholm. “New Hampshire has made some extremely positive strides in the realms of housing and homelessness in recent years, upon which we as a state can continue to build.”

Download the full report Here