Economic Factors Affecting Homelessness in the United States

Abstract

As the cost of housing in the United States rises while wages have stagnated, homelessness becomes a more pressing issue with every passing year. This paper seeks to identify economics characteristics, natural attributes, and government policies that have a significant influence on the rate of homelessness in each state. Several regression models have been developed to analyze these variables and correlate them to the rate of homelessness. Using these methods, a positive relationship was observed between policy variables directed toward low-income citizens and homelessness, while a negative relationship was observed between the Gross State Product and homelessness. These findings support certain legislative measures that could combat the growing problem of homelessness.