AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The number of homeless people in Augusta nearly doubled from 2023 to this year.
More alarming: Kids make up the biggest age group.
The stark spike is something nonprofits have reported, and their observations are confirmed by the results of the 2025 “point in time” homeless census.
The 2025 count found 1,098 homeless people in Augusta at the start of 2025.
That compares to the survey found 643 in 2023.
Although the true numbers may be higher than that – and many nonprofits have always contended this is the case – the trend may be more telling than the exact numbers.
The statistics aren’t available for 2024, so we can’t tell yet how quickly the numbers shot up.
Hurricane Helene likely played a role in the increase, according to those who serve the local homeless community.
Those who deal with the homeless on a daily basis have been telling us for months that they’re seeing the symptoms of the increase – from more people seeking assistance through Golden Harvest Food Bank to a need for services like Compass for Hope’s mobile laundry.
The 2025 “point in time” survey found children make up the largest single age group of homeless people.
The report said there were 395 homeless kids up to age 18.
That fits with what nonprofits are telling us – that there’s a huge proportion of food-insecure children in the CSRA. In fact, we learned a couple of weeks ago that Hancock County has the highest level of child hunger in the country.
The totals for other age groups in the report include:
- 93 homeless people ages 18-24
- 133 homeless people ages 25-34
- 161 homeless people ages 35-44
- 114 homeless people ages 45-64
- 128 homeless people ages 55-64
- 74 homeless people ages 65 or older
READ THE REPORT:
The survey found 55 people were chronically homeless. Those are people with disabling conditions who’ve been homeless for an extended time.
There were more than 700 unsheltered people – those who lack a stable place to stay, meaning they’re often living on the streets or in a car.
The survey found more than 300 people were sheltered – meaning they’re living in some type of temporary housing, such as homeless shelters.
The survey found many more single males, 714, were homeless, than females, 338.
And the survey found 17 homeless veterans.
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