The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is required every other year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in order to receive federal funding, however, it is widely understood to be an undercount. The PIT has traditionally been conducted as a one-night census by volunteers in January.
In 2022, the RHA received a methodological exception to conduct the count in a different way, aligned with our Understanding Unsheltered Homelessness Project, which sought more qualitative data. In 2023, the RHA conducted a sheltered count and housing inventory count, but did not conduct an unsheltered count.
- View the results of the 2022 Point-in-Time Count
- How does the PIT Count compare to the number of households served in the homeless response system? Check out the Measuring Homelessness Dashboard
- Review the cross-systems analysis by King County’s DCHS, a more accurate data collection method, which found over 40,000 people experiencing homelessness over the course of a year.
- Review the Point-In-Time Count and Housing Inventory Count at: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/hdx/pit-hic/
People Experiencing Homelessness
| Measure | Methodology | Lead Agency | Number (King County) |
| 2020 Point in Time Count | Point in Time; Single Night | All Home | 11,751 individuals |
| 2022 Point in Time Count | Point in Time; Single Night | KCRHA | 13,368 individuals |
| 2023 Snapshot Report | State Administrative Data; Single Night | WA Department of Commerce | 34,866 individuals |
| 2020 Cross-Systems Analysis | Administrative Data; Annualized Number | King County Department of Community and Health Services | 40,871 individuals |
| 2022 Housing Gaps Analysis | Statistical Modeling; Administrative Data; Annualized Number | WA Department of Commerce & Cloudburst Consulting | 53,532 individuals |
More information about methodology is available in the 5-Year Plan.
Previous Reports
2020