The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health released its seventh annual report on mortality among the homeless population, showing a reduction in deaths in 2024 for the first time since tracking began in 2014. In 2024, there were 2,208 deaths among the homeless population, 300 fewer than in 2023, and the mortality rate decreased by 10% from 3,326 deaths per 100,000 people to 2,994 deaths per 100,000 people.
The rate decreased among male and female people, and among Black and white people, but remained stable among Latino people. The mortality rate among homeless people was 4.2 times greater compared to L.A. County’s general population, down slightly from 4.4 times greater in 2023. The recent decrease followed a two-year plateau in the mortality rate from 2021 to 2023, which was preceded by a 56% increase from 2019 to 2021.
Driver of Improvement
The overall decrease in 2024 was driven largely by a 21% decrease in drug overdose mortality. Overdose prevention, harm reduction and mental health and substance use treatment services likely contributed to this decline. Heart disease and homicide mortality also decreased in 2024, but traffic injury and suicide mortality both increased.
Director Barbara Ferrer of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health noted: “Each unhoused person that loses their life was someone’s child, sibling and loved one and I send my deepest condolences to their loved one. It is heartening to see that the efforts and strong collaboration of our multi-agency L.A. County Homeless Mortality Prevention Workgroup and homeless services providers across the county is leading to fewer tragic deaths.”
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://signalscv.com/2026/03/county-report-homeless-mortality-rate-decreases/