NJ Homeless Totals Keep Climbing; Here Are The Causes, New Report Says

New Jersey has hit a decade-high number of people experiencing homelessness, an annual report says.

On Tuesday, nonprofit advocacy group Monarch Housing Associates released the results of its 2025 “point in time” (PIT) count, which was done earlier this year. View the full summary for New Jersey here, and learn more about the report’s methodology here.

According to researchers, there were 13,748 people experiencing homelessness in New Jersey on the night of Jan. 28 – an 8 percent increase from 2024. It’s the highest number recorded since 2014, when there were 13,900 people counted.

It’s a concerning trend, the nonprofit said: New Jersey has seen an average increase of 14 percent every year since 2021.

What are the main causes of homelessness in the state? Some of the leading replies included:

• Asked to leave shared residence – 1,930
• Eviction (or risk of eviction) – 1,613
• Loss or reduction of job income – 1,547
• Drug/alcohol abuse – 776
• Mental illness – 733

Other highlights from this year’s count included:

SHELTER – Researchers said that there were 11,753 people counted in “sheltered locations,” including homeless shelters, hotels, transitional housing or safe haven programs. Meanwhile, 1,995 “unsheltered” people were staying outside or spending the night in vacant or abandoned buildings.

FAMILIES – There were 1,484 families – composed of 4,553 people – that were experiencing homelessness.

VETERANS – There were 543 veterans experiencing homelessness, representing a 4.8 percent increase since 2024. This year’s numbers continue a five-year trend of fluctuation “between 450 and 550 individuals.”

RACIAL DISPARITIES – People identifying as Black or African American are experiencing homelessness at disproportionately higher rates than individuals of other racial or ethnic identities. Despite representing just 12 percent of New Jersey’s population, Black or African American people totaled 47.4 percent of those counted on Jan. 28.

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Counties across the state conduct NJCounts annually as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Commissioned by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, the yearly effort includes participation from social service providers, local government, community advocates and volunteers.

“The PIT Count is one of the most effective tools that we have to assess the trends in homelessness in New Jersey,” said Melanie Walter, executive director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.

“Although we have dramatically increased the production of housing for individuals transitioning out of homelessness in New Jersey, this year’s Point in Time Count results are a critical reminder of the fragility of many families’ housing situations and the importance of tackling the root causes of homelessness,” Walter said.

• See Related: NJ Homelessness: What’s Changed, Why It’s Growing Nationwide
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