OCDE - Data on homelessness and housing exclusion 2026 - Finlandia de 2026

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HOMELESSNESS DATA: FINLAND © OECD 2026

Summary of key data and information Summary of key data and information Official statistical definition of homelessness (Table 1) A person experiencing homelessness is defined as someone who does not have their own dwelling (rented or owned) and who lives due to a lack of dwelling in one of the following: 1. outdoors, in stairwells or so-called overnight shelters; 2. dormitories or accommodation businesses; 3. housing service units, rehabilitation units, hospitals or other institutions; 4. temporarily with friends or relatives. A person defined as long-term homeless has been homeless for at least one year or repeatedly homeless in the past three years. In addition, they either have a social or health problem that affects their possibilities of successful housing, or their homelessness has been prolonged due to the unsuitability of housing solutions or the lack of support services. The need for help and treatment is emphasised in long-term homelessness – the duration is secondary. A homeless family or couple is a family or couple who, in the absence of a shared residence, lives in separation or in temporary accommodation, hotels or with relatives and acquaintances. Homeless families also include families living in mother and child homes and shelters for victims of domestic violence and in crisis housing. Latest national estimates of homelessness (Table 2, Table 3) 4 579 individuals, representing 0.08% of the total population (2025) 22% are women, 78% are men Point-in-time count, based on data collected from municipalities by the Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction, published in yearly homelessness report ETHOS Light groups included Included: • ETHOS Light 1: Living on the streets, in public spaces • ETHOS Light 2: Emergency accommodation (e.g. shelters) • ETHOS Light 3: Accommodation for the homeless (e.g. hostels and women’s refuges)\ • ETHOS Light 4: People in institutions

• ETHOS Light 1: Living on the streets, in public spaces • ETHOS Light 2: Emergency accommodation (e.g. shelters) • ETHOS Light 3: Accommodation for the homeless (e.g. hostels and women’s refuges)\ • ETHOS Light 4: People in institutions • ETHOS Light 6: Living temporarily with others in conventional housing (e.g. sofa-surfing) Not included: • ETHOS Light 5: People in non-conventional dwellings (e.g. caravans, cars or tents) Notes: Each ETHOS Light group includes one or more sub-categories of living situations. ETHOS Light groups are considered as “included” in the data collection approach if at least one of the sub-categories is counted.

Legal framework to collect data on homelessness (Table 4) There is no legal obligation to collect data on homelessness in Finland.

Homelessness Strategy (Table 5) National Homelessness Strategy: Programme to end long-term homelessness by 2027 • Regional and/or local homelessness strategies exist Approaches to collect data on homelessness (Table 6) • Homelessness in Finland Report: Municipalities fill out surveys on homelessness (Table 6.1)

Data on homelessness and housing exclusion 2026: Finland2 

HOMELESSNESS DATA: FINLAND © OECD 2026

Table 1. Official statistical definition of homelessness Statistical definition Homelessness A person experiencing homelessness is defined as someone who does not have their own dwelling (rented or owned) and who lives due to a lack of dwelling in one of the following: 1. outdoors, in stairwells or so-called overnight shelters; 2. dormitories or accommodation businesses; 3. housing service units, rehabilitation units, hospitals or other institutions; 4. temporarily with friends or relatives. A person defined as long-term homeless has been homeless for at least one year or repeatedly homeless in the past three years. In addition, they either have a social or health problem that affects their possibilities of successful housing,

friends or relatives. A person defined as long-term homeless has been homeless for at least one year or repeatedly homeless in the past three years. In addition, they either have a social or health problem that affects their possibilities of successful housing, or their homelessness has been prolonged due to the unsuitability of housing solutions or the lack of support services. The need for help and treatment is emphasised in long-term homelessness – the duration is secondary. A homeless family or couple is a family or couple who, in the absence of a shared residence, lives in separation or in temporary accommodation, hotels or with relatives and acquaintances. Homeless families also include families living in mother and child homes and shelters for victims of domestic violence and in crisis housing. Table 2. Data on people experiencing homelessness: Headline estimate, by living situation Presented according to ETHOS Light Typology Year Headline estimate of homelessness (Individuals)(2) % of total population ETHOS Light 1 People living rough ETHOS Light 2 People in emergency accommodation ETHOS Light 3 People in accommodation for the homeless ETHOS Light 4 People living in institutions ETHOS Light 5 People living in unconventional dwellings ETHOS Light 6 People staying with family/friends 2018 4 882(1) 0.1% Included in ETHOS 2 283 229 381 Not included 3 167 2023 3 429 0.06% Included in ETHOS 2 464 414 412 Not included 2 139 2025 4 579 0.08% Included in ETHOS 2 758 409 467 Not included 2 945

Metadata: • Type of count: Point-in-time • Data are comparable across years: Yes

• Included in headline estimate:

o Children: No

Included in ETHOS 2 758 409 467 Not included 2 945

Metadata: • Type of count: Point-in-time • Data are comparable across years: Yes

• Included in headline estimate:

o Children: No o Temporary accommodation for: ‒ Asylum seekers: No ‒ Refugees: No ‒ Victims/survivors of domestic violence: Yes Note: 1. Ethos category not known: 822. 2. T he headline estimate refers to the number of homeless people living alone; however, in 2025 there were 99 families and couples experiencing homelessness.

Source: OECD Questionnaire on Affordable and Social Housing (QuASH); Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction (2025) Asunnottomat 2025.

Table 3. Data on people experiencing homelessness: Headline estimate, by sub-group and living situation Presented according to ETHOS Light Typology, 2025 Single adults Men Women Youth (aged under 25) Older people (aged 65 and over) Families with children (# of households) Headline estimate of homelessness 4 579 3 556 1 023 761 NA 68 As percentage of total population experiencing homelessness 100% 77.70% 22.30% 16.60% NA NA ETHOS Light 1: People living rough Included in

ETHOS 2 NA NA NA NA NA 3

HOMELESSNESS DATA: FINLAND © OECD 2026

ETHOS Light 2: People in emergency accommodation 758 NA NA NA NA NA ETHOS Light 3: People in accommodation for the homeless 409 NA NA NA NA NA ETHOS Light 4: People living in institutions 467 NA NA NA NA NA ETHOS Light 5: People living in

ETHOS Light 3: People in accommodation for the homeless 409 NA NA NA NA NA ETHOS Light 4: People living in institutions 467 NA NA NA NA NA ETHOS Light 5: People living in unconventional dwellings Not included NA NA NA NA NA ETHOS Light 6: People staying with family/friends 2 945 NA NA NA NA NA Metadata: • Type of count: Point-in-time

• Included in headline estimate:

o Children: No o Temporary accommodation for: ‒ Asylum seekers: No ‒ Refugees: No ‒ Victims/survivors of domestic violence: Yes Note: Sub-groups are not mutually exclusive.

Source: OECD Questionnaire on Affordable and Social Housing (QuASH); Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction (2025) Asunnottomat 2025.

Table 4. Legal framework to collect data on homelessness Legal framework Law that governs data collection on homelessness None. Legal obligations None. Table 5. Homelessness strategy Homelessness strategies in place National Homelessness Strategy Programme to end long-term homelessness by 2027 Regional and/or local homelessness strategies exist Yes Table 6. Approaches to collect data on homelessness 6.1. Homelessness in Finland Report Description The Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction gathers nationwid e data on homelessness through surveys circulated to municipalities. Municipalities collect and report data from one or more of the following sources: social welfare service registers, housing applicant registers of municipal rental housing companies, the register of the Social Insurance Institution , the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s Population Information Register, registers of local service providers relating to homelessness. Data collection methods may vary among and within municipalities.

Type of count generated Point-in-time Methods • Administrative data • Service-based method Lead authority(ies) Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction

Register, registers of local service providers relating to homelessness. Data collection methods may vary among and within municipalities.

Type of count generated Point-in-time Methods • Administrative data • Service-based method Lead authority(ies) Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction Source(s) of information Service providers Scope • National level (only mainland Finland) • 81% of municipalities responded to the survey (2025) Depth of data • A limited number of sociodemographic characteristics are taken into account: total number of homeless women, number of youth under 25 years old, number of people with foreign background, number of homeless4 

HOMELESSNESS DATA: FINLAND © OECD 2026

Frequency Annual families, number of children in families, and number of homeless couples. The Ethos category for these groups is not available. • The results are disaggregated by people experiencing long-term homelessness and their Ethos category.

ETHOS Light groups included: • ETHOS Light 1: Living on the streets, in public spaces • ETHOS Light 2: Emergency accommodation (e.g. shelters) • ETHOS Light 3: Accommodation for the homeless (e.g. hostels and women’s refuges) • ETHOS Light 4: People in institutions • ETHOS Light 6: Living temporarily with others in conventional housing (e.g. sofa-surfing)

Note: Each ETHOS Light group includes one or more sub-categories of living situations. ETHOS Light groups are considered as “in cluded” in the data collection approach if at least one of the sub-categories is counted.

Notes and sources Ethos groups 1 and 2 are combined. https://www.varke.fi/en/statistics/homelessness

Please refer to the OECD Affordable Housing Database, indicator HC3.1.Population experiencing homelessness, https://www.oecd.org/content/oecd/en/data/datasets/oecd-affordable-housingdatabase.html.

Please refer to the OECD Affordable Housing Database, indicator HC3.1.Population experiencing homelessness, https://www.oecd.org/content/oecd/en/data/datasets/oecd-affordable-housingdatabase.html.

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© OECD 2026

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