Weekly Fiscal Facts are provided to Wisconsin NewsMedia Association members by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the state’s leading resource for nonpartisan state and local government research and civic education. The Wisconsin Policy Forum logo can be downloaded here.
Wisconsin’s reported homeless population increased nearly 5% in 2026 to nearly 5,500 individuals, a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report finds.
At the same time, Wisconsin has reported lower rates of homelessness than its regional peers and the nation for the last decade, and is trending in a more positive long-term direction than the nation.
Between 2015 and 2025, the total number of people experiencing homelessness nationwide increased by 32%. In contrast, Wisconsin’s homeless population in 2025 was 13.4% lower than the 6,057 individuals reported in 2015. Among neighboring states, Wisconsin also saw the largest decline in its homeless population during this period.
Milwaukee County reported 30.9% fewer homeless individuals (978) in 2026 than in 2016. Milwaukee County has reported more favorable homelessness statistics than comparable areas in the Midwest, such as Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Minneapolis.
In contrast, Dane County’s homeless population has trended upward, with 880 individuals reported in 2026, up 39.9% from 2016. Among the four Wisconsin four regions in which federal homelessness data is tracked (Dane, Milwaukee, and Racine counties, and the rest of the state), Dane County had the highest homelessness rate.
Following the progress made during the 2010s, the homeless population in Wisconsin has risen steadily since 2021, underscoring the need for strategies to reverse this recent trend. Among the factors likely contributing to the increase are household incomes not keeping pace with rising housing costs and the end of supports that were available during the COVID pandemic.
Homelessness also is rising nationally, and federal policy and funding priorities have undergone a recent shift. State leaders may consider how to replicate the past decade’s successes while positioning Wisconsin to stay ahead of troubling national trends.
This information is a service of the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the state’s leading resource for nonpartisan state and local government research and civic education. Learn more at wispolicyforum.org.
