A full quarter of young people aged 14 to 17 in Denver experienced homelessness over the last year.
Researchers combined multiple data sources to reach this shocking figure.
They found that the number of youths experiencing homelessness in its various forms increased significantly year on year from 2017.
Researchers broke down their findings by race and found that between 2017 and 2021, Black/African American or Hispanic youth accounted for 23–37% and 46–56% of the total estimated population of youth experiencing homelessness, respectively.
According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the national rate of homelessness increased by a record 18% over the last year.
A total of 771,480 people, or around 20 in 10,000 in the US, were homeless and living in an emergency shelter, safe haven, transitional housing program, or an unsheltered location, according to new data released on Friday.
That amounts to an 18% increase on 2023. The 2023 annual data showed a 12% increase.
Over the last year, children under the age of 18 experienced the greatest increase in homelessness. More than 150,000 under-18s were classed as homeless, a 33% rise on 2023.
Black people, who represent 12% of the US population, represented just under a third of all homeless people.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development attributed the increase to “our worsening national affordable housing crisis, rising inflation, stagnating wages among middle- and lower-income households,” as well as “the persisting effects of systemic racism,” “public health crises,” “natural disasters,” increase immigration to the US and the end of anti-homelessness programs brought in during the COVID-19 pandemic.