Not all homelessness is visible.
Lancaster County has made meaningful progress in supporting those facing homelessness and poverty—but many of our neighbors are still struggling, often in ways we can’t see.
Homelessness doesn’t always look like someone sleeping on the street.
It can look like a mom and her kids living in a car, or someone quietly couch-surfing between friends’ homes with no permanent place to stay. According to the Lancaster County 2024 Point-In-Time Count, 597 individuals are experiencing homelessness in our county.
- 122 are unsheltered, living in places not meant for human habitation.
- 475 are sheltered, staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing.
- 22% of people experiencing homelessness in Lancaster are children under 18 years old.
- In 2023, homelessness in Lancaster County rose by 13.5%.
Many face being on the brink of homelessness at any given time.
44,185 people in Lancaster County live below the federal poverty line, heavily cost burdened.
For many who are housed, housing isn’t affordable. A minimum wage worker in Pennsylvania would need to work 106 hours per week to afford a one-bedroom apartment at fair market rent ($1,002/month), according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
- In Lancaster City, 20.7% residents lived below the poverty line in 2023.
- 75% of U.S. workers struggle to afford expenses beyond basic living costs.
- For many, the reality is homelessness is just one missed paycheck away.
“Finding that help, that support—I think it’s priceless.”
When Luz was just 15, her family found themselves without a home just before Christmas. They came to Water Street and received help and found a path forward. Now, years later, Luz is thriving—and giving back as a volunteer.
You can be part of someone’s turning point.
Homelessness isn’t always easy to see, but it touches lives in our community. Whether you choose to pray, volunteer, or give, your support bring hope—and visibility—to those often overlooked.