News

Homeless count drops in Prince William, D.C. region

A homeless camp in Prince William County [Photo: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments]
A new report by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), there are 7,605 people experiencing homelessness in the Washington, D.C. region in 2022, the fewest recorded in over two decades. More than 24,000 people who were homeless now live in permanent housing.

Here is the breakdown of some area COG counties:

  • Fairfax: 1,191 homeless in 2022, 31 fewer than last year
  • Loudoun: 99 homeless, 19 fewer than last year
  • Prince William County: 241 homeless, 41 fewer than last year

Stafford County isn’t on the list.

The COG report, Homelessness in Metropolitan Washington, is a one-day snapshot of the region’s residents experiencing homelessness on January 26, 2022, and contains data from nine area jurisdictions. The overall eight percent reduction in homelessness from the year prior (down from 8,309 people) represents steady progress to ensure the experience of homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring.

“This report makes clear just how critical housing is for health and human life,” said Elisabeth Young, COG Homeless Services Committee Co-Chair and Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness Senior Analyst. “And while the region should celebrate how far we’ve come on homelessness, we will need to increase the number of affordable and available permanent housing opportunities for the lowest income households to continue that progress.”