How common is homelessness across the world?

Countries have very different rates of homelessness, according to the OECD’s Affordable Housing Database.

The chart shows that more than 300 out of every 100,000 are reported homeless in France, while it’s fewer than 20 in Finland.

In about half of the countries, more than 100 in every 100,000 people are homeless. That means more than one per thousand people.

There are also differences in types of homelessness. The United States, for example, has relatively high numbers of people living in the streets or public spaces but fewer in temporary accommodations or shelters.

Not all countries on the chart can be directly compared. For example, Japan and Greece only report data on one type of homelessness, so they don’t give a complete picture of the total population affected by homelessness.