Every year, in late January, communities across the United States count the people staying in shelters and outdoors on a single night. The result is called the Point-in-Time (PIT) count. It is a federally required submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and it remains the most consistent local measure of homelessness we have.
In Dallas and Collin counties, the count is run by Housing Forward, the lead agency of the local homeless response system. Housing Forward was formerly known as the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA); many older articles, including earlier versions of this one, use the old name. The most recent report is the 2026 count, conducted on January 22, 2026, which is the one summarized here.
Dallas homelessness at a glance (2026)
| Measure | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Total people counted | 3,513 (3,541 in 2025) |
| Unsheltered | 1,077 (30%) |
| Sheltered | 2,436 (70%) |
| In emergency shelter | 39% of the total |
| In transitional housing | 29% of the total |
| Chronically homeless | 643 (18%) |
| Veterans | 289 |
| Age 55 or older | 29.8% |
| Men / women | 55% / 31% (14% unknown) |
| Change since 2021 | 23% fewer overall, 25% fewer unsheltered |
Sources: Housing Forward / Institute for Community Alliances, 2026 Annual Point-in-Time Report and 2026 State of Homelessness at a glance; 2025 report for the prior-year total.
What the Point-in-Time count is
The PIT count is a snapshot. On one night, teams count everyone they can find sleeping outside (unsheltered) and shelter operators report everyone staying in emergency shelter, transitional housing and safe haven programs. HUD requires communities that receive federal homelessness funding to do a count, and the numbers feed into how that funding is planned.
It is useful because it is consistent: the same method, year after year, lets a region see whether things are moving in the right direction. It is limited because it is one night, so it cannot tell us how many different people experience homelessness over a full year.
What the 2026 count found
Housing Forward's 2026 report identified 3,513 people experiencing homelessness across Dallas and Collin counties. Of those:
- 2,436 people (70%) were sheltered: 39% of the total in emergency shelter, 29% in transitional housing and 2% in safe haven programs
- 1,077 people (30%) were unsheltered, meaning they were staying in a place not meant for human habitation
- 82% of everyone counted was in Dallas County and 18% in Collin County
The report notes a slight increase in the unsheltered count from 2025, and that inclement-weather shelters were not activated on the night of the count. The 2025 count had found 3,541 people, including 1,037 who were unsheltered.
people identified as experiencing homelessness in Dallas and Collin counties in the 2026 Point-in-Time count, 23% fewer than in 2021.
Housing Forward, 2026 Annual Point-in-Time ReportWho the count found
The report shows a population that is mostly adults on their own, and one that is not evenly spread across the community:
- Households: 80% of people were in households without children and 20% were in households with both adults and children. Fewer than 1% of people in families were unsheltered.
- Chronic homelessness: 643 people, or 18% of the count, met HUD's definition of chronic homelessness, which generally means a long-term or repeated experience of homelessness combined with a disabling condition.
- Veterans: 289 veterans were counted. The report attributes the increase to added capacity in veteran-dedicated safe haven beds, and notes that veteran homelessness is down 22% since 2021. Our veteran homelessness guide covers the local support available.
- Age: 29.8% of people counted were 55 or older, and 9.4% were 65 or older. Both groups grew from 2025 while every other age group declined.
- Sex: 55% of people were recorded as male and 31% as female. The remaining 14% were recorded as unknown, which the report links to a new federal data element added in late 2025.
- Race: 58% of people counted identified as Black, African American or African, compared with 18% of residents of Dallas and Collin counties in the 2020 Census, according to the report.
- Among all adults counted: 27% reported a serious mental illness and 16% reported a substance use disorder.
of people counted in 2026 (643 people) met the definition of chronic homelessness.
Housing Forward, 2026 Annual Point-in-Time ReportThe trend: where Dallas has been
The 2026 total is 23% lower than in 2021, and the unsheltered count is 25% lower. Housing Forward described 2026 as a fifth consecutive year of sustained decreases in homelessness, with the total 28 people below 2025. The report points to investment in housing placement, diversion (helping people resolve a housing crisis before a long shelter stay) and combining behavioral health care with housing.
The same report also flags pressure points. Emergency shelter beds fell 8% from 2025. On count night, shelters were running at 87% of available beds, or 89% when overflow beds are excluded. The report also lists the threat of future funding cuts to permanent supportive housing and an aging homeless population: 29% of people counted were 55 or older, compared with 19% nationally. A falling count is progress. It is not the same as the problem being solved.
For how a Texas eviction works step by step, see Eviction in Texas: the notice to vacate and what happens next. If you need help now, see where to get help in Dallas.
What the count cannot see
Because it is a single-night snapshot, the PIT count does not include people who are temporarily staying with friends or family, in motels, or in other unstable arrangements that are not shelters or outdoor locations. It also cannot show how many people become homeless or find housing in the weeks before and after the count. The 3,513 figure describes one night, not the total number of people in the region who experience homelessness during a year.
What this means for DFW
3,513 is a number, and behind it are 3,513 individual stories. Most of the people counted were in a shelter or transitional program, which means the region has real capacity, and more than a thousand were sleeping outside. Both parts of that picture matter.
Exsura works at the street level of this problem: direct outreach to people experiencing homelessness in DFW, hygiene supplies and food, and community education that helps neighbors respond well. If you want to be part of that, the next step is below.
If you need help rather than data, our DFW resource guide lists shelters and homeless services by county, and our Dallas and DFW crisis hotlines page lists every 24/7 line in one place. Our myths about homelessness in Dallas article looks at what the evidence says about who experiences homelessness and why.
Frequently asked questions
How many people are homeless in Dallas?
The January 2026 Point-in-Time count, run by Housing Forward (formerly the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance), identified 3,513 people experiencing homelessness in Dallas and Collin counties. That is down from 3,541 in 2025 and 23% below 2021.
How many homeless people in Dallas sleep outside?
In the 2026 count, 1,077 people (30%) were unsheltered, staying in places not meant for human habitation. The other 2,436 (70%) were in emergency shelter, transitional housing or safe haven programs. The unsheltered count is down 25% since 2021.
Is the real number of homeless people in Dallas higher than the count?
The Point-in-Time count is a one-night snapshot, so it does not capture everyone who experiences homelessness over a year, including people who are temporarily staying with others. The 3,513 figure is a count of one night, not an annual total.