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Urban vs Suburban

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Unsheltered Homelessness
Urban vs Suburban
Populations
Detailed Data
About the Study

Urban vs Suburban

Geography plays an important role in homelessness. People who are homeless in large, urban settings enter and experience homelessness differently than those living farther from an urban center.

In Minnesota, two-thirds of people experiencing homelessness are in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and one-third live in greater Minnesota.

Key Findings

Interview data from the 2023 Minnesota Homeless Study show how homelessness differs between the Twin Cities metropolitan area and greater Minnesota.
  • There is an alarming overrepresentation of Native American, Black, and Hispanic/Latino people experiencing homelessness in both the Twin Cities metro and greater Minnesota.
  • Across the state, a concerning number of people are spending most of their time unsheltered. People who are homeless in greater Minnesota are more precariously sheltered, spending more time doubled up, more often moving from place to place for shelter, and experiencing more repeat episodes of homelessness.
  • While more people experience homelessness in the Twin Cities metro, those who are homeless in greater Minnesota have higher rates of complex challenges that perpetuate the cycle of homelessness, including trauma, violence, and significant health issues.
  • Lack of affordable housing for very low-income people remains a top challenge to finding housing, both in greater Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro.

About the Data

Unlike a point-in-time count, which only considers one night of a person’s experience, Minnesota Homeless Study data help us understand shelter patterns and how outcomes differ depending on whether and how often someone sleeps outside.

This brief is one in a series examining interview data from the 2023 Minnesota Homeless Study. Each brief explores a specific aspect of homelessness and provides detailed data to inform services, interventions, and policies across our state.

Study Downloads

Read more about the study and review key findings.

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Connect with Us

Reach out today to explore the findings, partner on solutions, or use this data in your own work. Together, we can turn insights into action and drive meaningful change to end homelessness in Minnesota.

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