If you’ve been a long-time reader of the Nest blog, you know that we work hard to dispel misconceptions about the unhoused population. As we continue our series on being unhoused in Indiana, we want to take this opportunity to dispel some Indiana-specific myths and myths that we see circulating in our local communities.

 

Myth #1: The Unhoused in Indiana Don’t Work.

Based on the national average, this myth is false. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a University of Chicago study found that an estimated 53% of those in shelters and 40% of unsheltered individuals were employed part-time or full-time. For many, this doesn’t seem to make sense; how can one be unhoused if they’re working? The math simply doesn’t add up when the minimum wage in Indiana remains $7.25 an hour. To afford a modest two-bedroom apartment, most Hoosiers working at minimum wage must work an equivalent of 122 hours just to make rent.

 

Myth #2: Homelessness Is an Urban Issue in Indiana.

Did you know that rural homelessness is growing faster than urban homelessness in Indiana? In last year’s PIT Count, where unhoused individuals are counted to gauge the issue’s magnitude for federal funding, 432 people were counted in our region, and 56 were unsheltered. Region 1, our region, encompasses both urban and rural areas. Furthermore, according to the IHCDA, rural homelessness rose 16.9% vs. 9.4% in urban areas between 2023 and 2025. However, in many cases, being unhoused looks different in rural areas and often involves living out of a vehicle, couch surfing, or doubling up with friends or family.

 

Myth #3: Unhoused Single Men are the Leading Demographic of the unhoused in Indiana

Families are the fastest-growing demographic in the unhoused population, growing not just in Indiana but nationally as well. According to the 2025 Indiana Balance of State report based on the last Point in Time Count, 1 in 5 unhoused individuals are 24 years old or younger. Furthermore, 26% of those counted are part in households with children. We see this in our own shelter. Last year, we welcomed Mr. Joe Bunch on the Nest Radio Show, and he spoke about the McKinney-Vento Act, which provides educational accommodations for children experiencing homelessness. On the show, he shared that in 2025, 155 students were enrolled in this program. That translates to roughly 6 classrooms full of unhoused students in our community.

Myth #4: They’re Not from Our Community, They’re Just Coming for Our Services

Multiple studies have been done across the United States, and all have come to one conclusion: that most unhoused people lost their home in the same state they were housed in. A study by the University of California, San Francisco found that 90% stayed within the state, and 75% stayed within the same county where they became unhoused. A study of 100,000 unhoused veterans showed that only 15.3% had moved regions. People who lose their homes want to remain in their communities, where their friends and families are, where schools are for their children, and where jobs are located. An overlooked point in this myth is that travel and reestablishing life in a new community require funds that simply aren’t there.

Myth #5: Nothing Really Helps This Situation

This simply is false. If you ask most unhoused people if they’d like to remain unhoused, most will tell you that they desperately want a home of their own. A bed of their own, a kitchen, and a front door that brings comfort and safety. While we acknowledge that some prefer to remain unhoused, this is certainly not the majority. Programs like ours house people for many years; our partners in the community also work to house individuals. Support makes all the difference. This support can look like connections to services, helping obtain documents such as a Social Security card, applying for benefits, or simply a place to stay while building savings for a place of one’s own. Support, kindness, dignity, determination, and dedication are what make all the difference and change lives for the better.

 

In Indiana, homelessness is growing. This isn’t a moral failing by those who find themselves in this situation; it is a simple math problem. The cost of living, especially housing, is outpacing the earning ability of many in our community. Understanding the facts and smashing misconceptions are two ways we begin to support, understand, and work toward solutions as a community. Homelessness isn’t tied to a geographic location; it’s not urban or rural; it simply looks different depending on where you are. We also know that homelessness is not tied to employment, and that all demographics experience homelessness. Most of those who are unhoused aren’t strangers, but neighbors, community members who want to stay as close to home and their support networks as possible. Homelessness is not something that only happens in big cities; across Indiana, communities are seeing this issue rise, and as a community, we must work together to solve this issue for all our community.

 

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