Homelessness rose substantially in Montgomery County during the past year.
According to the Point in Time survey coordinated by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, 1,510 people experienced homeless in 2025 as compared to 1,144 in 2024.
The just released survey showed that between 2021 to this Jan. 29 when county staff and volunteers combed the area seeking unsheltered people, Montgomery County experienced a 162% increase in homelessness.
“We saw a doubling of families experiencing homelessness between 2024 and 2025, which is troubling,” said Christine Hong, chief of services to end homelessness in Montgomery County.
“Many of these families are working,” she said. They are still struggling from the effects of the pandemic and are in arrears in their rent.
“It breaks my heart,” said Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton.
While Montgomery County saw its homeless population increase, most other area jurisdictions did not meet the same fate.
A total of 9,659 people were counted experiencing homelessness during the Point in Time survey. The region’s number of people experiencing homelessness decreased by 115 persons, a 1% decrease from the 2024 count.
This regional report is the first decrease following two years of increases. This year’s results varied across jurisdictions, with four recording increases and four reporting decreases compared to last year’s count where seven of eight jurisdictions recorded increases.
The number of people experiencing homelessness in the #DMV region declined by one percent, according to a COG report analyzing results from the annual Point-in-Time count. Learn more about trends, strategies in the comprehensive report: https://t.co/wo1hb3n8LY pic.twitter.com/ck3ADA05RA
— COG (@MWCOG) May 14, 2025
The District of Columbia experienced the largest decrease in homelessness from 2024 to 2025, down 478 people or 9%, followed by Loudoun County with 51 fewer people.
In Montgomery County, there were 204 families consisting of 295 adults and 417 children counted in this year’s Point in Time. The number of homeless veterans jumped 121% between 2021 and 2025.
With a population of slightly more than one million, .14% of residents are homeless.
Hong said county officials financially helped more than 2,000 families last year, diverting the residents from becoming unsheltered. More than 110 families were moved into permanent housing.
“There are significant external challenges that could undermine our progress, particularly at the federal level,” Hong said, referring to proposed cuts in jobs and many programs that help families obtain food and other necessities.
Some 29,000 county households live in public housing authority units in Montgomery County.
Some factors leading to homeless include the high cost of housing and domestic violence, according to COG officials.
