CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) – Every state in the U.S. has to contend with homelessness, but according to cognitivefeedbackloop.com, West Virginia has consistently kept its homelessness rate well below most other states.
Using data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Census and macrotrends.net, the website put together a graphic showing how the homelessness rate has changed in each state, and Washington D.C., from 2008 to 2022. They also included the U.S. average.
When it came time for rankings, based on the number of homeless per 100,000 people in 2022, they ranked West Virginia at number eight, meaning it had one of the lowest homeless populations at 77 per 100,000 in 2022. This is 86 below the national average and 579 below the highest homeless rate from Washington D.C., but is still 36 above the lowest homeless rate from Mississippi.
Many states, West Virginia included, only showed small increases and decreases throughout the examined period.
“Regardless of local trends and differences, it is nice to point out in summary that gradually, the rate of homelessness is decreasing in the U.S.,” cognitivefeedbackloop.com wrote.
