Indiana’s most recent count of the state’s unhoused population showed an increase in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness, but a decrease in how many are living outside.
The 2026 Indiana Balance of State Continuum of Care’s Point in Time (PIT) count covers the state except for Marion County, where a separate count is done. Marion County, with more than 900,00 residents, always leads Indiana in the number of people experiencing homelessness. This year’s official January count numbered 1,821.
The statewide census, conducted by hundreds of volunteers, is taken one night every January and counts people living in emergency shelters, transitional housing, cars, parks, abandoned buildings, bus stations, encampments and on the streets.
This year’s report documented 5,192 people experiencing homelessness, a 7% increase from the 2025 count. Of those, 4,322 were found in sheltered locations, an 18% increase from last year. The number of people living in unsheltered locations was 870, a 28% decrease.
But organizers say the Jan. 28-Feb. 1 count may have been skewed. It was expanded from one day to five because of extremely cold temperatures, and some people may have found an emergency shelter bed available because of the weather.
Vanderburgh County (Evansville), St. Joseph County (South Bend) and Allen County (Fort Wayne) had the largest homeless populations. Vanderburgh had 623, St. Joseph had 596 and Allen, 564. It’s the fourth year in a row that these counties have had the highest number of people experiencing homelessness outside the Indianapolis area.
Half of Indiana’s rural counties counted at least one person the night of the count, representing about 3% of the total. Eight rural counties had 10 or more people experiencing homelessness the night of the count: Jackson, 65; Harrison, 32; Ripley, 18; Putnam, 17; Wells, 17; Randolph, 14; Whitley, 11; Fountain, 10.
Six rural Indiana counties — Adams, Greene, Jennings, Martin, Newton and Orange — didn’t participate in the PIT count, so the number of unhoused people there isn’t known.
The counties with the highest number of unsheltered homeless people were:
- Delaware: 82
- Howard: 80
- Vanderburgh: 69
- Wayne: 67
- Vigo: 56
- Tippecanoe: 50
- Monroe: 49
In 2025, Lake County had 167 unsheltered unhoused residents, the most in the state beyond Marion County. But this year’s count saw a 75% decrease, with 42 people found staying outside, in a vacant building or inside a car.
Statistics of note from the 2026 balance of state PIT count report:
- Since 2023, the number of people reporting prolonged or repeated homelessness has increased 72%.
- People experiencing chronic homelessness in the 2026 count represent 16% of the total, 5% more than 2025.
- Nearly 3 of 5 unhoused persons counted in 2026 were male.
- About 18% in the 2026 count were younger than 18, and 5% were older than 65.
- People in households with children represent nearly 25% of the people counted.
- The majority of those counted, 64%, were white.
- The number of homeless Hoosier veterans has declined almost 16% since 2023.
- Indiana has 38 counties with no emergency shelters with year-round beds for people experiencing homelessness.
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FPI News reporter Laura Lane covers the people and issues of rural Indiana. Reach her at 812-760-1540 or laura.lane@fpinews.org.
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