Did homelessness in Connecticut increase by more than 40% in 2025?

Homelessness increased by 9.5% in 2025, according to the state’s annual census of the homeless population. This includes people living in shelters and the “unhoused,” meaning those living outside or in a place not meant for human habitation, like a car.

The state provides an official point-in-time count of the sheltered and unsheltered people in the state. Last year’s count found a total of 3,735 people lived in shelters or outside in January 2025, compared to 3,410 in January 2024.

The number of people who are unhoused, however, increased by 45%, rising to 833 from 574 in 2024.

Connecticut providers have argued they need more funding for years. Recently, however, the Trump administration cut federal funding for homelessness services.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced in December he planned to use funding from the recently created Emergency State Response Reserve to support homelessness prevention and response services throughout the state.