On most basic demographic characteristics, homeless clients differ considerably from the population of the United States. In addition, the parents in homeless families using services, who comprise 15 percent of the homeless clients to NSHAPC survey, also differ from single homeless clients on many of these same factors. Table 2.1 presents the relevant information. The Ns shown at the top of this and all other tables are unweighted. Percentages are based on weighted data.

Demographic characteristics of all U.S. adults appear in the first column of table 2.1 as a point of comparison to the homeless clients who participated in the NSHAPC survey. The second column describes these homeless clients. The third and fourth columns break out NSHAPC homeless clients into those who are with their own children (homeless families), and those who are not (single homeless clients).

Sex

As in other studies, men dominate among homeless clients, comprising 68 percent of this group compared to 48 percent of all U.S. clients in 1996 (figure 2.1).⁵ However, these statistics mask considerable differences in the sex of homeless clients in homeless families and single homeless clients. Among homeless clients in families, 84 percent are women and 16 percent are men (figure 2.2). Among single homeless clients, the sex ratio is reversed; only 23 percent are women and 77 percent are men (table 2.1).

Race/Ethnicity

Homeless clients are about equally divided between non-Hispanic whites and blacks (41 and 40 percent, respectively), with 11 percent Hispanics, 8 percent Native Americans, and 1 percent "other" (figure 2.3). Compared with all U.S. adults in 1996, homeless clients are disproportionately black non-Hispanics (11 versus 40 percent) and Native American (1 versus 8 percent).⁶ The racial/ ethnic makeup of homeless clients does not differ by family status.

Age

The overall statistics on the ages of homeless clients mask very great differences between homeless clients in families and single homeless clients. Clients in families are much younger, as shown in their higher probability of being ages 24 and younger (26 versus 10 percent) and lower probability of being ages 55 and older (less than 0.5 percent versus 9 percent) (figure 2.4). This age distribution is quite different from that of all U.S. adults, in which only 14 percent are under 25 years of age and 28 percent are ages 55 and older.⁷

Figure 2.4

Marital Status

Forty-eight percent of homeless clients have never married. Among the 52 percent who have been married at one time or another, most have seen those marriages dissolve through divorce (24 percent) or separation (15 percent) without subsequently entering into another marriage. These patterns are repeated among single homeless clients, and modified somewhat among homeless clients in families (figure 2.5). The latter group is more likely to report being married (23 versus 7 percent) and less likely to report being divorced (13 versus 26 percent). In addition, they are less likely never to have married (41 versus 50 percent), but the proportion who have never married is still high compared to all U.S. adults at 23 percent.⁸

Figure 2.5

Education

Thirty-eight percent of homeless clients have dropped out of high school, while for 34 percent, a high school diploma is their highest level of completed education. Fewer, but still more than one-quarter, have some education beyond high school. These figures differ considerably between clients in families and single homeless clients (figure 2.6). Clients in families are more likely to have ended their education before completing high school (53 versus 37 percent), and less likely to have exactly a high school diploma or G.E.D. (21 versus 36 percent). However, the two groups are equally likely to have received some education beyond high school. Homeless clients are less educated than the adult U.S. population: only 25 percent of American adults (those ages 25 and older) have less than a high school education, 34 percent have a high school diploma, and 45 percent have some education beyond high school.⁹

Veteran Status

Twenty-three percent of homeless clients are veterans. Examined separately by sex, 1 percent of homeless women are veterans compared to 33 percent of homeless men. For men, this proportion is not different from the 31 percent of the general client male population whom the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates were veterans in 1996, but somewhat lower than the 40 percent of veterans among homeless men found in a systematic synthesis of data from other studies of homeless populations (Rosenheck et al. 1996).

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