According to recent data released by the Statistical Federal Office (Destatis), approximately 474,700 individuals were recorded as being housed due to homelessness in Germany as of January 31, 2025. This figure represents an eight percent increase compared to the 439,500 individuals recorded in 2024. The rise is likely attributable to improvements in reporting procedures implemented over the fourth year of collecting this statistic.
The data encompasses individuals residing in temporary housing, communal shelters, or facilities specifically designed for those experiencing homelessness during the night of January 31 to February 1, 2025. This statistic does not include individuals living on the streets without shelter, nor does it account for those in hidden homelessness situations, such as staying with friends or relatives, which are captured in a separate, bi-annual report conducted by the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building.
While refugees from Ukraine continue to form the largest group within this statistic, accounting for 29 percent (137,800 individuals, an increase of just 900 from 2024), the rate of increase has lessened compared to previous years. Overall, 409,000 individuals with foreign citizenship were registered, up from 377,900 in 2024, retaining an 86 percent share of those housed. Individuals with German citizenship numbered 65,700, a rise from 61,500 in 2024, maintaining their share at approximately 14 percent.
A significant 41 percent of those registered were under the age of 25, slightly higher than the 40 percent recorded in 2024. The proportion of individuals aged 65 and older remained stable at around five percent. The average age of individuals housed was 31 years old. Men comprised approximately 56 percent of the housed population, with women accounting for around 42 percent. The gender was listed as “unknown” for two percent of cases.
The individuals experiencing homelessness are distributed across various household types. The largest group consisted of individuals in partnered households with children, totaling 163,400, representing over 34 percent of the total. A nearly equal number (159,800, approximately 34 percent) were single individuals. Approximately 17 percent (79,000) were single parents, while seven percent (33,400) resided in other multi-person households and four percent (17,300) were in partnered households without children. The household type was unknown for 21,800 individuals, equivalent to four percent.
Geographically, North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state, reported the largest number of individuals housed due to homelessness (117,900), followed by Baden-Württemberg (94,600) and Berlin (53,600). Thuringia (3,000), Saxony-Anhalt (1,200) and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (700) registered the fewest individuals experiencing homelessness.