Wisconsin's homeless population dropped 13.4% between 2015 and 2025, even as the national count surged 32.0% during the same period, according to a new analysis published by the Wisconsin Policy Forum. The state has maintained lower homelessness rates than both its Midwestern neighbors and the nation for the past decade, despite a recent uptick since 2021. The report examines trends across the state's urban and rural areas and compares Wisconsin's performance with regional peers, finding that coordination among local agencies and adoption of the Housing First model may explain much of the state's success.
The study shows that 5,495 people experienced homelessness in Wisconsin in January 2026, up 4.8% from the prior year but still well below the 6,057 counted in 2015. Milwaukee County recorded the steepest long-term decline among the state's major areas, with its homeless population falling 30.9% from 2016 to 2026, reaching 978 individuals. Dane County moved in the opposite direction, reporting 880 homeless residents in 2026—a 39.9% climb from 2016. The Wisconsin Balance of State continuum of care, which covers 69 mostly rural counties, counted 3,445 homeless individuals in 2026, down 8.5% since 2015. Wisconsin's homelessness rate stood at 8.8 persons per 10,000 residents in 2025, the lowest among six Midwestern states and far below the national rate of 21.6 per 10,000. Milwaukee County's rate of 10.5 per 10,000 was less than half the national figure and the lowest among seven comparable Midwestern urban areas, including Minneapolis, Detroit, and Indianapolis.
The report attributes Wisconsin's relative success to "strong coordination among CoC leaders, including monthly meetings and a shared management information system" that lets service providers access client information even when people move between regions. Much of the state's progress during the 2010s coincided with widespread adoption of the Housing First approach, which provides stable long-term housing as quickly as possible rather than making it contingent on first addressing issues like substance use or unemployment. Experts interviewed for the research pointed to Milwaukee's collaborative culture among homeless-serving organizations and its effective "coordinated entry" system, where Impact 2-1-1 typically serves as the first contact point for people seeking help.
Despite these gains, the report warns that Wisconsin's homeless count has risen steadily since 2021, driven by factors including housing costs outpacing household incomes and the end of pandemic-era protections such as the federal eviction moratorium and expanded rent assistance. Across the Midwest, the number of unsheltered individuals—those living in vehicles, tents, or abandoned buildings—jumped 49.6% from 2015 to 2025, while emergency shelter capacity grew and transitional housing programs shrank. The analysis notes that recent federal funding disruptions, including mid-cycle cuts that were later reversed, have left local agencies uncertain about future resources. The authors suggest that keeping people housed before they lose their homes is often less costly and disruptive than helping them recover afterward, and that expanding the housing programs that previously drove declines while strengthening prevention efforts could reverse the recent uptick.