According to the latest federal Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR), released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), there were more people experiencing homelessness in 2024 than ever before.
The population of people experiencing homelessness increased across much of the Mountain West, according to federal data.
In Colorado, there was close to a 30% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness, and a 134% increase in families with children that were homeless. In Wyoming, there was about a 6% decrease in the total number of people experiencing homelessness, but a 219% increase in families with children experiencing homelessness.
Colorado and Wyoming were two of just four states that saw their populations of homeless families with children more than double. The others are Illinois and Hawai’i.

In Utah, there was about a 5% increase in people experiencing homelessness from 2023, but a 28% increase from 2007 numbers.
Researchers say these populations are uniquely vulnerable to human-caused climate change.
Climate change leads to changing weather patterns and extreme weather events, making it difficult for unsheltered people with limited access to information to plan accordingly.
Research also indicates that these populations are also more vulnerable to ensuing conditions, like heat-related illnesses, and chronic respiratory conditions made worse by poor air quality from things like wildfire smoke.
Adam Ruege with Community Solutions, a national nonprofit focused on ending homelessness, says when communities are planning for climate-fueled events and natural disasters, they need to be considering homeless people and unstably housed people in their communities.
“How can they stand up — rapidly stand up housing, you know, maybe even temporary shelters or temporary services, but really move people to housing as quickly as possible?”
Ruege says these events can also displace even more people from their homes. He points to the recent wildfires in Southern California and the Maui wildfires in 2023 as examples.
“We're going to… likely see more and more of this as the climate changes, and as it gets more volatile,” he said. “We're going to see more of this. And the AHAR, I think, is an early warning sign.”
He says the climate crisis and the homelessness crisis are closely linked, and that when communities talk about building resilience, they need to consider both at the same time.
“It shouldn't just be the local nonprofit that is working to house people experiencing homelessness,” he says. “It should also be the business community and it should be the first responders and it should be others that are involved in the system and not just one organization.”
He says part of building that resilience is getting more accurate and reliable data on housing and homelessness in communities, instead of relying solely on annual point-in-time counts.
Colorado’s 2025 point in time count will take place on January 28. Utah’s will take place from January 30 to February 1. Wyoming will conduct its count on January 23.
Copyright 2025 Rocky Mountain Community Radio. This story was shared via Rocky Mountain Community Radio, a network of public media stations in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico, including Aspen Public Radio.
Copyright 2025 Aspen Public Radio