These 7 states have the worst homelessness crises in the US. They also have some of the most expensive housing.

But even these harrowing conditions don't capture the full scope of homelessness in the US.

Although homelessness is declining by around 14% nationwide, 16 states have seen their homeless populations increase since 2007. In that time, states with a relatively small number of homeless residents like Wyoming and South Dakota have seen an increase of more than 62%. North Dakota, meanwhile, has seen a troubling

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We crunched the data for the share of homeless residents across all 50 states in America. Here's what homelessness looks like in the seven states with the worst

District of Columbia

A homeless woman on Constitution Avenue tries to keep warm during a storm. BusinessInsider

When it comes to the overall share of homeless residents, no state can compare to Washington, DC. Of the district's 694,000 residents, around 7,500 are homeless — a share that amounts to more than 1%. While this may not seem like a lot, it's more than three times the share in California, a state with nearly 57 times the population size.

An analysis from a local homeless services organization, Thrive DC, finds that three-quarters of their clients in DC

Hawaii

A homeless man sleeps on a picnic table at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. BusinessInsider

In 2015, Hawaii's rising homelessness crisis prompted Governor a state of emergency. As part of the proclamation, Ige made it illegal to sit or lie down on sidewalks and commissioned social workers to move homeless residents off the streets and into shelters.

The policy hasn't done much to curb homelessness in Hawaii, which has the second highest share of homeless residents relative to its population size. From 2007 to 2017, Hawaii saw a 19% increase in its number of homeless citizens — one of the biggest upticks in the country.

New York

A man sleeps on stairs in Manhattan during winter. BusinessInsider

With around New York's

California

A homeless woman stands with her belongings in Los Angeles. BusinessInsider

Less than 1% of California residents are homeless, but the state represents nearly a quarter of the nation's homeless population. That's because California is home to four of the top ten cities for homelessness in the country: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and San Jose.

The crisis in San Francisco is by far the most acute, with United Nations Special Rapporteur Leilani Farha calling it a "human rights violation" and "

The situation in Los Angeles is close behind: On any given night, homeless encampment that's riddled with

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Oregon

A couple sleeps on the street in downtown Portland. BusinessInsider

Oregon has seen a nearly 21% decline in its homeless population in the last decade, but it still ranks fifth in the nation in terms of its share of homeless residents.

Earlier this year, the

Washington

A woman holds her two-year-old son at one of Seattle's tent cities. BusinessInsider

Washington has about as many homeless residents as Oregon and DC combined — around but its share of homeless residents is smaller when compared to its population size.

Much of the state's homeless population is concentrated in Seattle, where homelessness has risen by 9% each year since 2014. Though the surrounding King County set aside a ten-year plan to combat homelessness, the deadline has come and gone, and the crisis shows no sign of slowing down.

In recent years, Seattle has become known for its tent cities, or large homeless encampments that are sanctioned by the government. These communities provide critical shelter for residents, who might otherwise face violence on the streets.

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Nevada

A homeless man sleeps at an encampment along Las Vegas Boulevard. BusinessInsider

Nevada has a greater share of homeless residents than Texas, a state more than nine times its size. The vast majority of Nevada's 7,800 homeless residents hail from Las Vegas, where homelessness appears to be on the rise, despite a 9.4% statewide decline over the last decade.

Much of the issue seems to stem from the city's rental crisis, which has caused

These 7 states have the worst homelessness crises in the US. They also have some of the most expensive housing.

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