Statewide Homeless Count Lower Than Previous Years
On January 27, the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium (SDHHC), an affiliate of South Dakota Housing, conducted its annual statewide Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC), and virtually all participating projects reported lower numbers for 2026 than in the previous two years. Additionally, the 2026 PIT count totaled only 26 homeless veterans, the lowest number recorded in nearly two decades.
The count includes people staying in public and private shelters (including domestic violence shelters), transitional housing or motels paid for by an agency. It also includes people who are unsheltered, such as those staying in vehicles, on the streets or in places not meant for human habitation.
The Point-in-Time Count is an important source of yearly data that can show characteristics of people who are experiencing homelessness. The data is used to measure homelessness at the local, state, and national levels. Results can change each year due to different factors that affect how the count is completed.
The results are influenced by the number of partners available to help conduct surveys in each community. Outside of Rapid City and Sioux Falls, the data may not fully represent homelessness across the state. Rural regions of South Dakota are often undercounted because of a lack of service providers and partners to conduct surveys.
A total of 1,154 people were identified as experiencing homelessness in South Dakota on January 27. The 2026 count indicates South Dakotans experience homelessness at a rate below the national norm, however program gaps in the most rural areas of the state make full accounting challenging. The Consortium and SDH celebrate this shared progress and remain committed to reaching every South Dakotan who needs help.
Of those counted:
675 men and boys were counted compared to 479 women and girls. This ratio of men to women (58% to 42%) has been very consistent for the past five years.
22% of respondents were unsheltered – a decrease from 25% the year prior.
8.6% of respondents were youth between the ages of 18 and 24, down from 8.8% in 2025 and 11% in 2024. Among unsheltered respondents, only 5.4% were youth, tying the lowest rate on record.
There were 26 veterans experiencing homelessness, the lowest amount recorded since the standardization of PIT counts in 2009.
20 Victim Service Providers (VSPs) from across the state counted 210 clients in shelter on the night of the PIT. When compared to 2025, there were 25 VSPs that reported 254 people in shelter.
PIT Reports specific to Sioux Falls and Rapid City can be found at housingforthehomeless.org in addition to a report on project inventory.
About SD Housing for the Homeless Consortium
In 2001, the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium was created to help unify the people who provide services to the homeless. Throughout the years this group has been able to identify gaps, create programs and services that have helped communities address homelessness and keep their citizens safe. Since its initiation the Consortium has received federal funding totaling over $39 million to provide development, operations and supportive services to a variety of homeless programs across the state.