By the Numbers: More Babies Than Ever are Homeless

Between birth and age three, a child’s brain develops faster than it will at any other stage of life. But that development can be impeded if a baby isn’t properly cared for and nurtured—if a family is homeless, for example. A new report from nonprofit SchoolHouse Connection estimates that in 2022-23, almost 447,000 infants and toddlers across the U.S. experienced homelessness—including almost 14,000 in Washington, more per capita than in the nation as a whole. Less than 10 percent of these Washington youngsters were enrolled in any form of early childhood education program, less than the national average.

Based on data gathered by the University of Michigan, SchoolHouse Connection estimates that homelessness among infants and toddlers in the U.S. increased by 23 percent between 2021 and 2023. In Washington, the number of homeless schoolchildren surged 31 percent during the same period, according to data gathered by the nonprofit Building Changes.