Homelessness in Fairfax
The statistics below are from the 2020 Point in Time (PIT) count that is required of all communities throughout the County. The PIT count takes place on an annual basis.
- 528 were people in families and 513 single adults; 1,041 total people
- 30% of all persons identified as homeless were children < 18 years old
- 83% of the adults in homeless families were female
- 56% of adults in homeless families were employed
- 32% of all families were homeless due to domestic violence
- 36% of single adults suffered from serious mental illness and/or substance abuse
- 34% of single adults were determined to be chronically homeless
- 34% of single adults > 55 years old
Poverty in Fairfax coupled with the expensive rental market results in a high volume of requests for assistance each year. In FY20, the County received the following requests:
EMERGENCY FOOD
6,359
EMERGENCY SHELTER
2,245
HOUSING ASSISTANCE
10,828
ONGOING FOOD ASSISTANCE
3,818
UTILITY ASSISTANCE
2,166
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$128,374
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/demogrph/gendemo.htm
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AS OF MARCH 2021
4.6%
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/VAFAIR5URN
AVERAGE MONTHLY RENT FOR 2019
$1,877
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/demographics/sites/demographics/files/assets/demographicreports/fullrpt.pdf
POPULATION LIVING IN POVERTY
6.17%
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/fairfax-county-va#economy
Chart displays 43% reduction in homelessness in Fairfax County since 2008. This is a significant reduction, but we still have a long way to go, which is one of the reason initiatives like the Collaborative are so important.
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/highlights-2020-point-time-count-people-experiencing-homelessness#:~:text=There%20were%201%2C041%20people%20who,conducted%20on%20January%2023%2C%202019.