Wisconsin’s reported homeless population increased nearly 5% in 2026 to nearly 5,500 individuals, a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report finds.
At the same time, Wisconsin has reported lower rates of homelessness than its regional peers and the nation for the last decade, and is trending in a more positive long-term direction than the nation.
Between 2015 and 2025, the total number of people experiencing homelessness nationwide increased by 32%. In contrast, Wisconsin’s homeless population in 2025 was 13.4% lower than the 6,057 individuals reported in 2015. Among neighboring states, Wisconsin also saw the largest decline in its homeless population during this period…