HousingTop story
Vermont's homeless count fell 3% in 2026, but the number of children rose 5%
Vermont's one-night count found 3,286 people homeless
- 3,286
- Vermonters counted as homeless on one January night
- 284
- people unsheltered, up 5% from last year
- 667
- children under 18, up 5% from last year
Sources: WCAX, WPTZ, MyChamplainValley.com
If you follow housing news, the 2026 point-in-time count is out. It found 3,286 Vermonters experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, down 3% from the previous year and nearly 9.5% from 2024. Homelessness declined for the second straight winter, according to a Housing and Homelessness Alliance of Vermont report.
- Serious mental illness: more than 1,100 people, or 34%
- People who identify as BIPOC: up 9% from 2025 to 2026
- Count overseen by: the state's two Continua of Care, CCHA and HHAV
Most people counted had a place to stay: 89% were in emergency housing. Around 3,000 were sheltered, mostly through the state's general assistance hotel-motel program. But 284 people had no shelter even in midwinter, and 667 children under 18 were homeless.
Most of those counted, 89%, stayed in emergency housing
89%Share of people counted who were staying in emergency housing
Source: WPTZ
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Share of people counted who were staying in emergency housing | 89% |
