In this article, we will be navigating through global homelessness while covering the 20 countries with the lowest homeless population in the world. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5Countries with the Lowest Homeless Population in the World.
Overview of Global Homelessness
As reported by the United Nations, homelessness is the deprivation of stable, safe, and adequate housing without being able to obtain it. The concept extends from a lack of physical shelter to social exclusion. Homeless groups include people living in open spaces, streets, temporary emergency accommodations, shelters, camps, as well as informal settlements.
The World Economic Forum reports that approximately 150 million people were homeless around the world in 2021. This equates to 2% of the global population without considering the fact that this doesn’t represent real statistics since measuring homelessness is daunting. The global pandemic worsened the state of homelessness worldwide. This was when economies struggled against the lasting impacts of lockdowns and soaring poverty. In this regard, countries have been fighting their battles against homelessness. While modular mini-homes were provided to the homeless in the UK, shipping containers were used to make an apartment complex for the homeless residing in downtown Los Angeles.
Homelessness: A Univeral Fight
The United Nations has referred to homelessness as a harmful form of systemic discrimination that impacts people in both developed and developing countries. Previously, we have also discussed the countries with the highest homeless population. Representing developing countries and China, Guyana’s representative exclaimed that homelessness has experienced a rise over the years. In African nations such as Angola, rural poverty primarily drives homelessness. Apart from social inequality and poverty, climate change serves as another cause of homelessness. Small island developing states have been prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and storms which massively destroy the social infrastructure while displacing many. Temporary housing and relocation assistance become crucial ways to address disaster-related displacement.
On the contrary, the developed United States also continues to find ways to tackle the homeless crisis in the country. On March 22, Reuters reported that more than 653,000 people in America were homeless in 2023, recording a 12% year-over-year increase since 2022. Diverse strategies are being proposed to combat this homelessness. While legislation related to banning people from camping on city sidewalks, parks, and public places was signed in Florida, more than $20 billion has been spent on housing and homelessness programs in California since 2018. Policy experts are of the opinion that access to affordable housing is a better solution rather than clearances that cannot function for a long time. In conclusion, the opposition between a crackdown on camping and raising funding to accommodate the homeless continues across the nation. You can also view the states with the highest homeless population and the cities with the largest homeless populations in the US to have a better understanding of homelessness in the country.
Multinationals Combating Homelessness
Building upon the rising crisis of homelessness penetrating America, local companies continue to address the issue. American companies engaging in the nation’s battle against homelessness include Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).
The e-commerce giant Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) caters to housing affordability and accessibility issues, especially for the deprived. The company’s Housing Equity Fund offers more than $2 billion in below-market loans and grants for 20,000 affordable homes for low-to-middle-income families in the local communities. In collaboration with minority-led organizations, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has invested more than $760 million in the creation and preservation of 4,500 affordable homes. Partnerships with public transit agencies have also been undertaken to introduce cheap housing near high-capacity public transit areas.
Another company ensuring affordability for housing is Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT). The company unveiled its Affordable Housing Initiative back in 2019 under which it aimed to fix the shortage of housing and the resulting high prices in Puget Sound region. The region also hosts many people living unsheltered. The company granted $1.5 million in an effort to reduce homelessness across King County. The firm also supports organizations involved in providing permanent shelter to the homeless and essential services to get people back on their feet. Extending its initiative, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) invested $583 million to create and preserve 9,200 housing units in the Puget Sound region.
Homelessness in California was catered to by the leading tech company Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). The company has committed $2.5 billion to improve the housing crisis across California. The task of constructing affordable housing for the unhoused or those who face the risk of losing their house is being undertaken by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) along with its community partners. The company is working towards the construction of new homes for 20,000 individuals and another 24,000 to help them stay housed while they are subject to the danger of becoming homeless. It has also helped the nonprofit Home expand its Homelessness Prevention System which provides direct financial assistance.
Now that we have taken a look at global homelessness and the ongoing fight against it, let’s move to the 20 countries with the lowest homeless population in the world.
20 Countries with the Lowest Homeless Population in the World
20 Countries with the Lowest Homeless Population in the World
Our Methodology:
In order to compile a list of the 20 countries with the lowest homeless population in the world, we sourced the most recent data on homelessness from the OECD. We have ranked the countries on our list in descending order of their homelessness to depict the lowest statistics for homelessness across the world. The homeless population for all the countries has been cited from the latest available year as reported by the OECD.
20 Countries with the Lowest Homeless Population in the World
20. Austria
Homeless Population (2019):22,580
Austria ranks as one of the countries with the lowest homeless population in the world. Cheaper homes along with the Housing First strategy is targeting homelessness in Austria. The country has planned to offer numerous homeless people their own flats.
19. Greece
Homeless Population (2009):21,216
Greece is another country with low homelessness. The Greek capital, Athens, has engaged in providing shelter and food to those who are homeless. However, the country is home to numerous asylum seekers who face homelessness.
18. Chile
Homeless Population (2019):14,013
Among other countries, homeless individuals tend to be less in Chile. The country’s extreme winter weather ends up leaving many homeless. The capital city of Santiago hosts many of the homeless people in Chile.
17. Colombia
Homeless Population (2019):13,252
Colombia ranks among the 20 countries which have low homelessness. The World Bank has also invested in programs directed to improve housing and support for vulnerable neighborhoods in Colombia in the past. These vulnerable communities are deprived of access to safe and decent housing.
16. Hungary
Homeless Population (2014):10,068
Hungary is another country with low statistics for homelessness. While a portion of the homeless population resorts to emergency shelters, temporary homes, and street outreach services, many tend to sleep rough. Mental health issues, irregular incomes, and addictions are common problems among the homeless sleeping rough in the country.
15. Portugal
Homeless Population (2019):7,107
Although the homeless population is relatively lower in Portugal, it has been increasing. People residing in mere tents in Lisbon have risen. Increase in drug consumption and immigration are also issues contributing to homelessness in the country.
14. Latvia
Homeless Population (2017):6,877
One of the lowest homeless populations globally resides in Latvia. Housing affordability is one of the factors impacting homeless people in Latvia since house prices in the country have grown between 2010 and 2023.
13. Denmark
Homeless Population (2019):6,431
Between 2019 and 2022, homelessness decreased by almost 10% in Denmark. The country hosts a smaller proportion of people who are homeless. The number of street sleepers and younger homeless people declined in the country in 2022.
12. Ireland
Homeless Population (2020):5,873
Ireland ranks among the countries with the lowest homeless population in the world. However, an increase in adults in emergency accommodations has been noticed especially in Dublin. While the majority of these are Irish, some of them tend to be from the United Kingdom or EEA. A lower proportion were from outside the EEA.
11. Finland
Homeless Population (2018):5,482
Finland has addressed the problem of homelessness through its Housing First scheme which was first introduced in 2007. This allows permanent housing on a normal lease to the homeless. Existing social housing in addition to new housing blocks have been utilized to avoid a housing shortage.
10. Japan
Homeless Population (2020):3,992
Japan has one of the lowest homeless populations. Homeless people are distributed across Osaka, Central Tokyo, Yokohama, Fukuoka, and Kawasaki. Roadsides, public parks, riversides, and station building hosts many of the homeless Japanese.
9. Norway
Homeless Population (2016):3,909
Norway’s homelessness rate is one of the lowest in the world. The homeless population in the country mostly includes non-Norwegian citizens, alcoholics, as well as those who are mentally ill. Norway’s social service system helps combat homelessness in the country.
8. Slovenia
Homeless Population (2019):3,799
The 20 countries with the lowest homeless population in the world rank Slovenia as well. While many homeless people in the country register at the address of a centre for social work and temporary municipal emergency housing units, others tend to live on the streets.
7. Israel
Homeless Population (2020):3,471
Israel ranks as another country where a lesser number of homeless people live. The homeless population in the country experienced a rise during the distress caused by the global pandemic. The Tel Aviv Municipality has made attempts to accommodate the unhoused population in the city.
6. Costa Rica
Homeless Population (2020):3,387
Costa Rica ranks as one of the 20 countries with the lowest homeless population in the world. However, the country is subject to issues such as poverty and unemployment. Homeless people tend to live on the streets and their proportion has gone up since the pandemic.
