A Portrait of the Unhoused Population of Seattle, WA 2023

Surveys of people experiencing homelessness traditionally focus on questions related to their housing statuses, often excluding broader topics asked of the general population. As a result, research frequently fails to capture the full humanity and lived experiences of this diverse community. Our Sound Data project seeks to address this gap by conducting a survey on a representative sample of unhoused respondents on a variety of subjects about social life and well-being. This report presents the results from our survey collected during Spring 2023 in Seattle, WA. To launch this study, researchers from the University of Washington (UW) Department of Sociology fielded a multidisciplinary questionnaire in person at local public libraries. This comprehensive survey covered individual demographics, family structures, social support, residential situations, shelter use, employment, health, substance use, religion, politics, languages, and nativity. Importantly, the questionnaire is intended for a general population and closely mirrors that which will be fielded on a survey of housed residents in the future, to facilitate direct comparison. Results in this report portray Seattle’s unhoused people as a complex population, with varied lives, experiences, and perspectives. All of this has important policy implications. For example, this report clarifies the community’s demographic composition, allowing service providers to better tailor their support. We highlight patterns in homelessness duration, eviction histories, forced displacement, and resource access. Furthermore, the paper broadens our understanding of employment statuses, complicating common conceptions about earnings and financial situations. We also uncover trends in physical, mental, and behavioral health conditions that might help inform medical care. Lastly, the study provides insight into the diversity of respondents’ religious, political, and national backgrounds, all of which could influence the efficacy of interventions designed to reduce inequity and build community.