GRAHAM COUNTY — Graham County has 49 households currently experiencing some form of homelessness.
That’s according to data released Friday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the 2024 annual Homelessness Report to Congress.
The information comes from the Point In Time count of displaced persons conducted last August. It shows there are 28 households currently unhoused in Safford, 20 in Bylas and one in Pima.
Of those, 16 have been homeless for one to three years, and 13 have been without a stable home for more than three years.
The majority — 33 — are living outdoors; while eight are living in a vehicle, six in an abandoned structure or alley, and two in a van or RV without running water.
Twenty-six are experiencing their first time without a stable home. Nineteen are homeless due to a loss of job, and another 19 are without a home due to the inability to pay rent or mortgage.
Fourteen of the households responded that they are survivors of domestic violence, and 15 said a divorce was a contributing factor to them being unhoused.
For income, 44 said they are unemployed. Two receive some type of disability income and six are receiving Social Security benefits, while nine said they “panhandle” or use a sign to solicit donations from passers-by.
Statewide, Arizona had the third largest increase in homeless population between 2017 and 2024, increasing by 243 households. Only New York (4,842) and Illinois (1,217) had more.
Arizona also experienced the fourth-largest growth in homeless veterans over the last year, increasing by 62 households. Washington had the most with 96, followed by New York with 82 and New Jersey with 67.
