How Many People Are Homeless in the DC–Maryland–Virginia (DMV) Region?

Written By Robert Wright III

The 2025 Point‑in‑Time (PIT) Count in January reported 9,659 people experiencing homelessness across the metropolitan Washington region, which includes Washington, DC, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia. 🎯 This marks a slight decline (~1%) from the 2024 count of roughly 9,774 people Wikipedia+15MWCOG+15North American Community Hub+15.

  • Between 2021 and 2025, regional PIT counts rose by about 19%, climbing from 8,086 to 9,659 individuals. Family homelessness increased notably—from 2,318 to 3,517 people (+52%) over that period Patch+1.

🇺🇸 How Many People Are Homeless in the United States?

  • According to HUD’s 2024 PIT count, approximately 771,480 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2024—the highest recorded level in U.S. history. That reflects an 18% increase over 2023 (+118,300 individuals) Wikipedia+5NW Labor Press+5Congress.gov+5.

  • The total in January 2023 was 653,100, which itself was up 12% from the year before North American Community Hub+2The Global Statistics+2.

  • The 2025 annual estimate has not yet been released, but current data reinforces a continued upward trajectory.

📊 Quick Comparison

RegionPIT Count (One Night, January)Trend vs. Prior YearMetro DC–MD–VA Region~9,659 (Jan 2025)↓ 1% from ~9,774 (2024)United States (national)~771,480 (Jan 2024)↑ 18% over 2023 (~653K)

🧭 Key Takeaways

  • While the DMV region saw a modest decrease in homelessness this year, it continues to suffer the effects of ongoing upward trends since 2021.

  • Nationally, homelessness is at record high levels in early 2024, reflecting rising housing costs, eviction rates, and insufficient safety net services.

  • PIT counts offer a snapshot—useful for year-over-year tracking—but likely undercount the full scope of homelessness, as they capture a single night rather than year-round experiences.

Robert Wright III