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The State of Homelessness in Australia: Key Statistics

The State of Homelessness in Australia: Key Statistics

According to the 2021 Australian Census, 122,494 people were experiencing homelessness in Australia. That means that 48 in every 10,000 people were homeless.

The data below is from the 2021 Australian Census - with the current cost of living crisis, the true number of those experiencing homelessness is likely to be higher.

Hidden Homelessness

Although it is often the most visible category, primary homelessness only accounts for 6% of homelessness in Australia. The other 94% is hidden - these individuals are experiencing secondary and tertiary homelessness. They're not sleeping rough or on the street, but that does not mean that they have a home.

Age

37% of people experiencing homelessness are under 25. Not only this, but almost 24% of all people experiencing homelessness are under 18 - meaning that nearly 1 in 4 people experiencing homelessness is a child.

Gender

56% (68,393) of those experiencing homelessness are men, while 44% (54,101) are women. Women and children escaping violence are the fastest growing group.

Indigenous Australians

22% of people experiencing homelessness in Australia are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. That's 24,930 people. However, only 3.2% of the total population are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This means that Indigenous Australians are disproportionately affected by homelessness.

What Does This Data Tell Us?

These statistics reveal several critical truths:

  1. Homelessness is largely invisible - only 6% of people experiencing homelessness are sleeping rough
  2. Young people are heavily affected - children and young adults make up over a third of those experiencing homelessness
  3. Indigenous Australians face systemic inequality - they are vastly over-represented in homelessness statistics
  4. The crisis is growing - with ongoing cost of living pressures, these 2021 numbers likely underestimate current reality

Understanding the scale helps us recognise that homelessness is not a fringe issue—it affects thousands of Australians from all backgrounds, and most of them are hidden from view.

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Last Updated: January 2026