An annual survey conducted by the International Union of Gospel Missions found that one-third of homeless men seeking shelter in rescue missions last month had served in the U.S. Armed Forces. About a third of the adult homeless population has served their country in the armed services. On any given night, as many as 250,000 veterans are living on the streets or in shelters, and perhaps twice as many experience homelessness over the course of a year. Many other veterans are considered at risk because of their poverty, lack of support from family and friends, and precarious living conditions in cheap hotels or in overcrowded or substandard housing. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans conservatively estimate that approximately one-third of America's homeless are veterans.
Homeless veterans tend to be older and more educated than homeless non-veterans.
Despite the overrepresentation of veterans in the homeless population, homelessness among veterans is not clearly related to combat military experience. Rather, recent studies show that homeless veterans appear less likely to have served in combat than housed veterans. These veterans had little exposure to combat, but appear to have increased rates of mental illness and addiction disorders, possibly due to recruitment patterns. Faced with a lack of affordable housing, declining job opportunities, and stagnating wages, persons with these disabilities are more vulnerable to homelessness. Homeless veterans are more likely to be white, better educated, and previously or currently married than homeless nonveterans.