2025 Point-In-Time Count Results
The annual Point-in-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness in Columbus and Franklin County was conducted on January 23, 2025. Community Shelter Board (CSB) coordinated the effort in collaboration with the Continuum of Care, a 41-member planning body committed to ending homelessness across the region. More than 250 volunteers mobilized to support this community-wide initiative. Point-in-Time Counts are conducted nationwide in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). They serve as a critical tool for understanding the scope and nature of homelessness in local communities, as well as informing system-level planning and resource allocation.
Findings Summary
January 2025 Point-In-Time Count
7.4% Increase in Homelessness
The January 2025 Point-in-Time Count, conducted by CSB in partnership with the Continuum of Care, identified 2,556 people experiencing homelessness in Columbus and Franklin County, marking a 7.4% increase from January 2024. Of these, 2,101 individuals were staying in shelter or transitional housing, representing a 13% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, 455 people were living outside or in other spaces not meant for habitation, reflecting a 1% decrease from 2024. Together, these trends reflect a system facing urgent challenges—expanding shelter access and reducing unsheltered homelessness in some areas, while still navigating rising needs and pressures across the community.
Demographic Groups
Various demographic groups were affected by homelessness, each with distinct vulnerabilities and needs.
Race/Ethnicity & Gender
Families, Adults, and Youth
Individuals with Severe Mental Illness, Individuals Experiencing Chronic Homelessness, Survivors of Domestic Violence, and Veterans
Previous Results
January 2024 Point-in-Time Count: Full Report | Press Release
January 2023 Point-in-Time Count: Press Release
Mark Your Calendar
The next Point-in-Time Count will be in January 2026
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer opportunities include:
• Conducting surveys on the ground and in encampments for unsheltered people experiencing homelessness
• Conducting surveys at a magnet site in tandem with a mobile outreach unit and food truck
• Conducting surveys at meal sites and warming centers.
For more information, please contact Twila Wellmaker at
twellmaker@csb.org.