More Than 138,000 NYC Students Experienced Homelessness

The total was 10% lower than the previous school year, mainly because fewer students were living in shelters. Still, it was the 11th consecutive year that more than 100,000 city students experienced homelessness. About 50,700 students—37% of the total—stayed in shelters, while roughly 81,100 shared housing with others because of economic hardship or housing loss.

The Bronx had the city’s highest rate, with nearly one in six students experiencing homelessness; Staten Island had the lowest, at about one in 20. More than one in five students in Districts 9, 23 and 32—covering parts of the South Bronx, Brownsville and Bushwick—were homeless. In District 23, over 12.5% of students were living in shelters.

Housing instability was linked to significant educational challenges. In the 2024–25 school year, close to 50% of pupils living in temporary housing were chronically absent, as were 63% of those in shelters. In 2025, 27% of shelter residents in grades three through eight were proficient in reading, and 59% graduated on time; 14% dropped out, about three times the rate for students with permanent housing.

Advocates for Children called for stronger rental assistance, affordable housing, and better transportation and educational support. Nearly 1,800 students in shelters finished the 2025–26 school year waiting for bus service. Education Department head Kamar Samuels said the department is collaborating with fellow city agencies and advocacy organizations, and that more work remains to support students in temporary housing.