Many upstate New York communities saw increases in the homelessness population in the past year while homelessness statewide declined, according to an analysis released Thursday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office.
Data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says the statewide homeless population declined by nearly 8% between January 2024 and January 2025, largely driven by declines in New York City. This comes after DiNapoli’s office reported homelessness more than doubled between January 2022 and January 2024.
In upstate areas, homelessness increased, DiNapoli said. The areas that saw the largest increase included Columbia and Greene counties, which saw a 59% jump; the city of Troy and Rensselaer County with a 55% jump; and the city and county of Schenectady with a 42% jump.
“While the number of homeless declined, there’s a lot of work left to do,” DiNapoli said in a statement. “The problem is widespread and it is not confined to major cities. In particular, the public, private and nonprofit sectors need to work together to address the crisis of so many children experiencing homelessness in New York.”
The comptroller’s report said children continue to make up a disproportionate share of the homeless population, at 32%, which is double the share in the rest of the country.