“I had a valve replacement which is how I became homeless. I don’t want to go to a shelter because I’m afraid of getting ill with recent heart surgery.”
- Wake County resident surveyed during the 2026 Point-in-Time Count
Newly released 2026 Point-in-Time Count numbers show more than 1,000 people were living on the street or in emergency shelters in Wake County on a single night in January.
Coordinated by the Wake County Continuum of Care, the annual count brought together more than 145 volunteers led by experienced street outreach staff who spread out across the county searching under bridges, near wooded encampments and throughout known locations where people experiencing homelessness may be staying.
The count identified 1,050 people experiencing homelessness in Wake County, including 307 people living unsheltered and 743 staying in shelters or transitional housing programs. By comparison, 1,127 people were counted during the 2025 Point-in-Time Count.
The count was conducted Jan. 22 during a White Flag weather alert, when dangerous cold temperatures prompted expanded emergency shelter efforts across the community.
The Point-in-Time Count is an annual effort required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to better understand homelessness in communities across the country.
“Behind every number is a person, a story and often a crisis that pushed someone into homelessness,” said Cheryl Stallings with the Wake County Board of Commissioners. “Living outside or in unstable conditions is not safe or sustainable for anyone. The Point-in-Time Count helps us better understand the needs in our community and work towards solutions.”
Wake County recognizes that this count represents only a single-night snapshot and does not capture every person experiencing homelessness throughout the year.
As the lead agency for the Continuum of Care, Wake County continues to strengthen the use of real-time and year-round data to better understand trends in homelessness, improve system planning and coordinate housing and outreach efforts across the county in partnership with municipalities, nonprofit organizations and housing providers.
For more information about the Point-in-Time Count visit: wakenc507.org
