YouthNoise | Homeless Factoids About Youth

Factoids About Teens and Homelessness

• 500,000 - 600,000 •
This 1988 figure is the most widely used estimate number of homeless people at any given time in the U.S. (It is basically the number of homeless people found in shelters, eating at soup kitchens, or congregating on the streets during one week in 1988.)

• Over 700,000 per night •
• 2 million per year (1999) •
Tack on about 5% (for population growth) to the numbers above and this is about the number of people who currently experience homelessness in the U.S.

• We may never know •
The real number of homeless people in America. The numbers mentioned above are actually way off because homeless people are often very hard to find.

	What makes a kid leave home? LeadSinger4Glitter knows: "I am physically,verbally,and emotionally abused by my mother and father.It has almost crushed my self-esteem and I am really depressed." Read her story: Child abuse

• 1.3 million •
The number of homeless youth and youth runaways living on the streets of America.

• 1 out of every 7 •
The number of youth (15%) who will run away before their 18th birthday.

• 46 percent •
The number of runaways who had been physically abused before running away from home.

• 32 percent •
The number of runaways who have been forced to participate in sexual activity against their will.

• 47 percent •
The number of runaways who leave because of a conflict with a parent or guardian.

• 17 percent •
The number of runaways who have dropped out of school.

• 32 percent •
The number of runaways who will try to kill themselves.

• 5,000 •
The number of runaway and homeless youths who die from assault, illness and suicide.



		• Prove that homeless Kids Matter with Just 1 Click! • Learn more about The Issue: Homeless Teens • What do you do when someone on the street asks you for money?