Germany reports drop in accommodated homeless persons

At the end of January 2026 German municipalities and shelters reported 452,900 individuals housed because they lacked their own dwelling, a decline of five percent compared with the previous year. The statistics, compiled by the Federal Statistical Office, exclude people sleeping rough or staying informally with friends or relatives.

Eighty‑five percent of those counted did not hold German citizenship, with Ukrainians representing the largest foreign group at 28 percent, even though their numbers fell by six percent. The average age of the accommodated population was 31 years, with 41 percent under 25. Men made up 57 percent and women 42 percent; about one third were part of a couple household with children. By state, North Rhine‑Westphalia had the highest count (104,700), followed by Baden‑Württemberg (90,800) and Berlin (57,600).