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Percentage of public school students who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence
Percentage of public school students who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence
US Value: 2.5%
Top State(s): Connecticut: 0.8%
Bottom State(s): New York: 5.3%
Definition: Percentage of public school students who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence
Data Source and Years: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Homeless Education, Federal Data Summary, 2020
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Homeless Education, Federal Data Summary, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.
Homelessness and housing instability can contribute to poor health among all people, especially children and adolescents. Common health problems among homeless children and youth include:
Many homeless children attend school. During the 2019-2020 school year, more than 1.2 million students were identified by schools as homeless. Families with children made up about 30% of the total homeless population in 2020, with nearly 54,000 family households experiencing homelessness in one single night. There were 34,210 unaccompanied youth under the age of 25 experiencing homelessness that year; 9.9% of whom were children under 18.
When students experience instability in their home lives due to homelessness, school is often a place of safety and security. Schools can provide students with a sense of belonging, a consistent and caring environment and the security of an organized and predictable daily schedule. Schools also provide meals, which are critical for students who may not have access to food at home.
Students at increased risk of becoming homeless include children in families that are severely cost-burdened, children living in poverty and children living in homes with domestic violence. The prevalence of homelessness is higher among:
Ending student homelessness requires a coordinated community and government response. The prevention and early identification of youth at risk of homelessness involves collaboration among child welfare agencies, criminal justice systems, education systems and community programs. Ensuring adequate transitional housing, shelters and host homes is also essential to meet the needs of youth and families in crisis.
More permanent solutions such as affordable housing and transitional living programs are important to preventing reentry into homelessness. Solutions like Housing First programs have seen success in increasing housing stability. Evidence suggests that the economic benefits of these programs outweigh the costs. The development of housing and school partnerships is a promising approach to end student homelessness. These partnerships aim to build housing stability for families and increase school attendance among youth.
Healthy People 2030 recognizes the role of housing stability as a social determinant of health. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness has a goal of no family being without shelter, and that if homelessness does occur, it should be a rare and brief occurrence.
Aratani, Yumiko. “Homeless Children and Youth: Causes and Consequences.” Brief. New York: National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, September 2009. http://www.nccp.org/publication/homeless-children-and-youth-causes-and-consequences/.
Fernandes-Alcantara, Adrienne L. “Runaway and Homeless Youth: Demographics and Programs.” CRS Report RL33785. Congressional Research Service, March 26, 2019. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33785.
Henry, Meghan, Tanya de Sousa, Caroline Roddey, Swati Gayen, Thomas Joe Bednar, and Abt Associates. “The 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, Part 1: Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness.” U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development, January 2021. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2020-AHAR-Part-1.pdf.
Jacob, Verughese, Sajal K. Chattopadhyay, Sharon Attipoe-Dorcoo, Yinan Peng, Robert A. Hahn, Ramona Finnie, Jamaicia Cobb, Alison E. Cuellar, Karen M. Emmons, and Patrick L. Remington. “Permanent Supportive Housing With Housing First: Findings From a Community Guide Systematic Economic Review.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 62, no. 3 (March 2022): e188–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.08.009.
Korpershoek, Hanke, Esther T. Canrinus, Marjon Fokkens-Bruinsma, and Hester de Boer. “The Relationships between School Belonging and Students’ Motivational, Social-Emotional, Behavioural, and Academic Outcomes in Secondary Education: A Meta-Analytic Review.” Research Papers in Education 35, no. 6 (November 1, 2020): 641–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2019.1615116.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.