County of Residence

Truth: The large majority of people experiencing homelessness in a given area are either from the community in which they’re experiencing homelessness, or had been living there for multiple years before they lost housing. 

Data from communities across the United States does not support the assumption that people who fall into homelessness migrate to areas in search of local services and assistance. Overall, migration from low-income to high-income areas in the country has dramatically decreased in recent decades, and low-income individuals are actually moving out of high-income areas due to increased housing prices.

Our local data speaks to this truth.

It is important that we promote a widespread understanding that people experiencing homelessness are often from the community they are in, rather than migrating to areas in order to access generous social services.