HUD Data Show 745,652 Americans Homeless as Food Insecurity Persists Despite Agricultural Surplus

Nearly 745,652 Americans — or 22 per 10,000 — experienced homelessness in January 2025, according to Department of Housing and Urban Development data, as rising living costs outpace fixed incomes for millions of retirees and low-income households. California produces roughly 25% of U.S. food, including over one-third of vegetables and three-quarters of fruits and nuts, yet food availability does not guarantee access. McKinsey data show one in five Black households lives in a food desert lacking fresh ingredients. The real median annual income for households headed by someone 65 or older is near $60,000, with average spending consuming nearly that amount. Nearly a quarter of retirees work part-time to supplement Social Security. HUD defines unsheltered persons as those living outdoors, in cars, or in structures unfit for habitation; Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders face the highest homelessness rate at 99.9 per 10,000.