Which states have more homeless? Why?

Notice something odd. Homeless people are typically concentrated statistically in more temperate climates yet New York's rate is much higher than Florida. I fired up Claud AI to examine this below. A new elephant in the room is often housing cost. Places which are more expensive to find affordably housing create a larger homeless population.

Florida has a significantly lower homeless rate than New York despite both having major cities and warm weather (at least in Florida's case). The key differences:

Housing costs and availability While Miami and other Florida metros have seen rising costs, Florida overall still has more affordable housing than New York. Median rents and home prices in most Florida cities remain well below NYC and other New York metros. Florida also had a major housing construction boom that, despite the 2008 crash, left more housing stock per capita than constrained coastal cities in the Northeast.

Different counting methodologies New York's right-to-shelter law guarantees shelter to anyone who requests it, meaning nearly everyone experiencing homelessness gets counted in the sheltered population. Florida has no such mandate, and people living doubled-up with family/friends or in precarious situations may not appear in counts. New York's aggressive outreach and comprehensive shelter system paradoxically makes homelessness more visible and measurable.

Cost of living beyond housing Despite high housing costs in parts of Florida, overall cost of living—especially taxes—is lower. No state income tax, lower property taxes, and generally lower everyday expenses mean people can stretch limited incomes further before losing housing.

Economic migration patterns Florida attracts retirees with fixed incomes (Social Security, pensions) who can afford to live there, whereas New York's high costs push out similar populations. Florida's job market, while including low-wage service work, has been robust enough to absorb workers at various income levels.

Different service landscapes New York City's extensive (and expensive) homeless services infrastructure provides comprehensive support but may also attract people from other areas. Florida's more limited services might deter migration of homeless populations, though the warm climate still attracts some.

Policy approaches Florida has taken more aggressive stances on encampments and public camping in recent years, with some cities actively discouraging visible homelessness through enforcement. This doesn't eliminate homelessness but may push it underground or out of official counts.

Family structure and informal support Florida's large extended family networks, particularly in Hispanic and immigrant communities, may provide more informal housing safety nets that prevent official homelessness, even if conditions are crowded or unstable.

The warm weather advantage exists in both states' major metros, so that doesn't explain the difference—it's really about housing economics, policy choices, and how homelessness is measured and addressed.