Our Research

This study is the first to provide estimates of the percentage of sexual and gender minority adults experiencing homelessness compared to cisgender straight adults using representative national data. We provide estimates of homelessness (both recent experiences and lifetime prevalence) from three nationally representative surveys of U.S. adults conducted between 2016 and 2019 measuring sexual orientation and gender identity.

We examined the proportion of people who had recent experiences with homelessness (in the form of living temporarily with friends or family, living in a shelter or group home, or living in a place not intended for housing such as on the street, park, car, or abandoned building) in the 12 months prior to being surveyed.

We found that:

• 8% of transgender adults across all sexual orientation identities;

• 3% of cisgender and genderqueer sexual minority adults;

• and 1% of cisgender straight adults reported indicators of recent homelessness.

• Among sexual minority adults, African American respondents had significantly higher rates (6%) of recent housing instability.

We also assessed the proportion of people who had experienced homelessness at any time in their life (measured only among cisgender and genderqueer sexual minority adults). We found that:

• 17% of sexual minority adults reported they experienced lifetime homelessness, which is more than twice what we have found in a general population study.

• Most respondents (71%) who had ever experienced homelessness did so as adults. The study findings support concerns that homelessness is experienced at disproportional rates among sexual and gender minority people.