One Number Update: August 2026

Since its inception in 2019 , the “One Number” has served as the primary benchmark for the number of people experiencing homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. It provides the best available snapshot of people actively experiencing homelessness and offers critical insight into the minimum number of housing units and subsidies needed today to address that need. The One Number also tracks how people flow into and out of the homeless services system over time.

This week’s blog provides the most recent One Number update, key trends and analysis, and what the latest data mean for Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

LATEST DATA & TRENDS

As of August 31, 2026, there are 2,604 individuals in 2,081 households experiencing homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. This total includes 1,735 single individuals, 114 unaccompanied youth, 201 households with minor children (totaling 692 people), and 38 families with multiple adults (totaling 85 people). Included in the total of 2,604 individuals, 145 are homeless Veterans, and 785 are individuals who are experiencing chronic homelessness. Based on these data, the minimum number of households experiencing homelessness right now (and therefore, the minimum number of housing units and/or subsidies needed) in Charlotte-Mecklenburg is 2,081.

Considering inflow (into homelessness) and outflow (out of homelessness), here are some noteworthy trends:

• Between July 2026 and August 2026, there was a 31 person increase in the total number of people experiencing homelessness. There has been a 1% (or 18 person) increase in overall homelessness since August 2025.
• In August 2026, 603 individuals entered homelessness (inflow) and 343 people exited (outflow). Of the 603 individuals entering homelessness, 67% (403) were newly identified, 7% (44) returned to homelessness from permanent housing, and 26% (158) returned from an inactive status. Of the 343 individuals exiting homelessness, 38% (129) moved to permanent housing and 62% (214) exited homelessness to an inactive status, which means that they had not been engaged in services for the previous 30 days.
• Between July 2026 and August 2026, overall homelessness increased for all populations, except for single adults, which dropped by 13 people, and unaccompanied youth, which dropped by three people. The number of people in families with children increased by 4% to 692 people. The number of veterans experiencing homelessness increased by 10% (145 people). The number of people exiting to permanent housing compared to July 2026 was lower by 13% (20 people). There was a 30% decrease with the people in families with minor children exiting to permanent housing (51 people). The number of people experiencing chronic homelessness that exited to housing this month decreased by 22% (29 people). Finally, the median number of days it takes to exit homelessness into housing decreased by 126 days, from 385 to 259 days, and the average number of days also decreased, from 647 days to 535 days. The median tells us the typical number of days it takes to exit homelessness into housing while the average includes long-stayers in shelter and people experiencing chronic homelessness.
• According to the most recent One Number data, disaggregated by race and ethnicity, individuals who identify as Black/African American continue to experience homelessness at rates much higher than their proportion of the Mecklenburg County population (76% vs. 31%), while individuals who identify as White, non-Hispanic experience homelessness at a rate much lower than their population prevalence (14% vs. 43%). Individuals who identify as Hispanic/Latino only have a prevalence of 3% in the homeless population but comprise 18% of the Mecklenburg County population; this reflects a possible underrepresentation of the people who experience homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and identify as Hispanic/Latino.

So What

The August 2026 One Number data underscore a critical reality for Charlotte-Mecklenburg: homelessness is not only persisting, it continues to grow in ways that demand urgent, coordinated action. The continued imbalance between inflow and outflow, paired with increases across most household types, signals that the system is not yet keeping pace with demand.

At the same time, the data points to meaningful progress. Shorter lengths of time to housing demonstrate that targeted strategies can work when adequately supported. Perhaps most importantly, the persistent racial disparities highlight that homelessness in our community is deeply rooted in systemic inequities that need to be addressed alongside housing solutions.

The One Number is more than a metric–it is a call to action. It quantifies the scale of need today while signaling to the investments required to ensure that every household in Charlotte-Mecklenburg has access to safe, stable housing.