FILE-Homeless encampments are seen near Washington Circle on August 14, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
A new poll finds that most Americans think personal choices are a major factor of poverty and homelessness.
The poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reveals that just over half of respondents think the government spends too little on people in need.
Researchers polled 1,121 adults between Aug. 21–25, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel.
Most Americans view homelessness and poverty as a rising problem
Why you should care:
Approximately 68% of people say poverty has increased in the U.S. over the past 25 years, while 19% believe it’s stayed the same and roughly 12% say it has declined.
Meanwhile, roughly 8 in 10 respondents say that homelessness has grown in the nation over the last 25 years, and 7 in 10 say it’s increased in their state. And 55% say homelessness has increased in their area.
More people favor removing homeless encampments
By the numbers:
More Americans favor than oppose removing homeless encampments in U.S. cities, the poll found. About 43% of people support their removal, while about 25% oppose it. Roughly 3 in 10 Americans don’t have an opinion, saying they neither favor nor oppose removing the encampments.
Separately, 64% of Most Republicans support removing homeless encampments, while independents and Democrats are split, with a sizable number of respondents sharing that they don't have an opinion.
Americans divided over root causes of homelessness
Dig deeper:
About 6 in 10 Americans say personal choices are a "major factor" in why people remain in poverty, while just under half say unfair systems are a major factor and about 4 in 10 blame lack of government support.
Most Republicans, 77%, say personal choices are a "major factor" in why people remain in poverty, compared with 56% of independents and 49% of Democrats.
And Democrats are much likelier than Republicans or independents to say lack of government support is a "major factor."
According to the poll, most Americans think that substance abuse and mental health issues as key drivers in homelessness, with about three-quarters citing them as a "major factor."
And roughly 6 in 10 adults say that personal choices are responsible, with a similar share blaming a lack of affordable housing.
Moreover, 45% of respondents believe a lack of government support is a major factor in why people are homeless.
More than half of Americans think the government is not spending enough to combat homelessness
Big picture view:
The poll found that 54% say the government is spending "too little" on assistance for people in need.
Americans are also more likely to believe federal and state governments play a key role in fighting homelessness and poverty, compared with charities or wealthy individuals.
Roughly 4 in 10 people say the federal and state governments have "a great deal" of responsibility for addressing poverty and homelessness, compared with about one-quarter who say this about charities or very wealthy people.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the AP-NORC poll of 1,121 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 21-25, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.