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The Impact of Houselessness and Food Insecurity on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People

LGBTQ+ young people with a history of houselessness had over twice the rate of attempting suicide in the past year than those who have never been houseless (24% vs. 9%).
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Key Findings

  • 40% of LGBTQ+ young people reported a history of food insecurity, houselessness, or unmet basic needs.
  • TGNB young people had a 77% greater odds of experiencing food insecurity, 73% greater odds of ever having been houseless, and 67% greater odds of having unmet basic needs compared to cisgender LGB young people.
  • Food insecurity, homelessness, and unmet basic needs were all independently associated with increased likelihood of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts.

The 2025 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People is now open!

If you’re LGBTQ+ and 13–24, we would love to hear from you.

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Background

Economic security affects nearly every aspect of life, including health and wellness. Particularly in the United States, economic security directly impacts a person’s ability to access quality health insurance and health care, as well as health-promoting environments such as neighborhoods and schools. Economic stability is recognized as having such an important influence on health that it is articulated as one of the five primary domains of social determinants of health by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.1

There is a common misconception that LGBTQ+ individuals are more financially well-off than their cisgender heterosexual counterparts, however, the opposite is true.2 Not only are rates of poverty higher in LGBTQ+ populations compared to cisgender heterosexual ones (17% vs. 12%), there remain large inequities within LGBTQ+ communities.3 Notably, being transgender, a person of color, or bisexual are all factors found to be associated with higher rates of poverty.3 Most of this research, however, focuses on the economic status of adults and frequently excludes younger people. Using three different metrics of economic stability that are relevant to younger ages (i.e., food insecurity, houselessness, and being unable to meet basic needs), we explore how these factors influence mental health and suicidal thoughts and behaviors of LGBTQ+ young people.

Results

Demographics. LGBTQ+ young people ages 18 to 24 reported higher rates of experiencing food insecurity (34%), ever having experienced houselessness (16%), and being unable to meet basic needs (17%) compared to LGBTQ+ young people ages 13 to 17 years old. Pansexual young people reported the highest rates of experiencing food insecurity (40%), ever having experienced houselessness (20%), and being unable to meet basic needs (18%) compared to those with other sexual identities. Among gender identities, transgender men and boys reported the highest rates of experiencing food insecurity (40%), ever having experienced homelessness (19%), and being unable to meet basic needs (18%). Native/Indigenous LGBTQ+ young people reported higher rates of experiencing food insecurity (48%), ever having experienced homelessness (26%), and being unable to meet basic needs (20%) compared to LGBTQ+ young people of other races or ethnicities. There was overlap in these indicators of economic security: 40% of LGBTQ+ young people reported experiencing at least one of these three indicators, although 16% experienced two or more.

Economic Security and Mental Health Among LGBTQ+ Young People chart

Economic security and mental health. Overall, economic insecurity was associated with worse mental health for LGBTQ+ young people, even after adjusting for age, sexual orientation, gender identity, race/ethnicity, and census region. Experiencing food insecurity was associated with 69% higher odds of experiencing depression (aOR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.56 – 1.82, p<.001), 68% higher odds of experiencing anxiety (aOR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.55 – 1.83, p<.001), 60% higher odds of having considered suicide in the past year (aOR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.48 – 1.73, p<.001) and 71% higher odds of attempting suicide in the past year (aOR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.54 – 1.95, p<.001).

Ever experiencing houselessness was also associated with 47% higher odds of experiencing depression (aOR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.33 – 1.62, p<.001), 36% higher odds of experiencing anxiety (aOR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.22 – 1.51, p<.001), 67% higher odds of having considered suicide in the past year (aOR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.51 – 1.85, p<.001) and over twice the odds of attempting suicide in the past year (aOR = 2.33, 95% CI = 2.05 – 2.65, p<.001).

Being unable to meet basic economic needs was associated with 50% higher odds of experiencing depression (aOR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.35 – 1.66, p<.001), 41% higher odds of experiencing anxiety (aOR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.26 – 1.59, p<.001), 42% higher odds of having considered suicide in the past year (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.28 – 1.57, p<.001) and 52% higher odds of attempting suicide in the past year (aOR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.32 – 1.74).

Economic Security and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among LGBTQ+ Young People chart

Looking Ahead

Economic security, however defined, has a persistent impact on the mental health and suicidal thoughts and behaviors of LGBTQ+ young people. Being food insecure, without stable housing, or unable to meet basic needs was consistently associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. An important step forward is to recognize the fact that economic insecurity presents challenges far beyond financial implications, it also directly impacts the mental health and wellness of LGBTQ+ young people. Indeed, despite copious federal resources having been dedicated to both economic insecurity and mental health,1,4 they are rarely talked about in tandem in conversations about youth mental health. 

Many researchers have called economic security a social determinant of mental health,5-7 a label which aligns with our findings on its relationship with mental health and suicide risk among LGBTQ+ young people. More importantly, this framing allows us to broaden our perspective about what constitutes effective mental health intervention; programs and policies that target economic security can yield mental health improvements. Economic interventions specific to LGBTQ+ young people can take on many forms, such as anti-discrimination laws in the workplace or gender-expansive equity in health insurance.8,9 Notably, the most profound interventions to lower rates of economic insecurity, such as food and nutrition assistance,10 housing assistance,11 or basic cash assistance12 have all been shown to be beneficial for the entire population, especially younger people, when implemented. The economic realities for LGBTQ+ people are not monolithic. As previous research has shown, people of color and transgender populations are particularly more likely to be living in poverty than others in the LGBTQ+ community.3 However, the potential effects of programs to foster economic security in these marginalized communities are also likely to have the greatest impact. One promising example is an ongoing study aimed at providing microeconomic support to facilitate better mental health outcomes among transgender and nonbinary adults.13 While there will always be a place for mental health care, targeting upstream determinants like economic security is a necessary part of any public health strategy that prioritizes mental health and suicide prevention.

The Trevor Project is committed to supporting LGBTQ+ young people through crisis intervention, research, and advocacy initiatives. TrevorSpace, our dedicated social media platform, offers LGBTQ+ young people a safe and supportive community where they can connect with supportive peers, regardless of where they live. Our 24/7 crisis services—available by phone, chat, and text—ensure that LGBTQ+ young people have access to highly trained counselors whenever they need help. Our education team empowers adults with the tools and knowledge to effectively support LGBTQ+ young people across all identities, while our advocacy team works to promote access to welcoming environments in all geographic areas, both at the federal and state level. Additionally, we are committed to continuing to publish research focused on the relationship between economic security and LGBTQ+ mental health.

You can read more related research from The Trevor Project here: Unstable Housing and LGBTQ+ Youth Suicidality and Homelessness and Housing Instability Among LGBTQ Youth. Additionally, The Trevor Project provides resources for both LGBTQ+ young people and their allies, such as Resources for LGBTQ+ Youth Experiencing Homelessness.

Data Tables

Demographic Characteristics of LGBTQ+ Young People by Food Security in the Past Month

Demographic Characteristics of LGBTQ+ Young People by Food Security in the Past Month table

Demographic Characteristics of LGBTQ+ Young People by Housing Status

Demographic Characteristics of LGBTQ+ Young People by Housing Status table

Demographic Characteristics of LGBTQ+ Young People by Basic Needs

Demographic Characteristics of LGBTQ+ Young People by Basic Needs table

Methods

Data were collected through The Trevor Project’s 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. A total of 18,663 LGBTQ+ young people between the ages of 13 to 24 were recruited via ads on social media. After accounting for missing data on the variables of interest, the effective sample size used in this research brief includes data from 16,869 participants.

All demographic items were assessed by asking participants to select a single identity category from a provided list of options.14 To assess economic security, participants were asked about food security, experiences with houselessness, and socioeconomic status. Questions about food security asked participants how often they worried that food at home would run out before getting money to buy more in the last month and how often they were hungry but didn’t eat because they did not have enough food in the last month.15 Houselessness was assessed by asking participants if they currently or have ever been homeless. Response options included ‘No’, ‘Yes, I have been in the past, but I am currently not’, and ‘Yes, I am currently homeless.’ To assess socioeconomic status, participants were asked how they would describe their current overall personal financial situation, with response options ranging from ‘I have more than enough to live comfortably’ to ‘I don’t meet basic expenses such as food, housing, and clothing’.16 The GAD-2 was used to assess recent symptoms of anxiety17 and the PHQ-2 was used to assess recent symptoms of anxiety.18 Questions assessing past-year suicide contemplation and attempt were taken from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey.19

Chi-square models were run to determine differences in rates of suicide risk and mental health outcomes between groups. After checking assumptions, logistic regression models were run to examine the association between food insecurity, houselessness, economic security, and mental health outcomes, controlling for age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and race. All analyses are statistically significant at the p<0.05 level, meaning that there is less than 5% likelihood that these results occurred by chance. Percentages in tables may not add up to 100 because of rounding.

References

  2. 1. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024). Healthy People 2030: Economic stability. https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/economic-stability
  3. 2. McGarrity, L. A. (2014). Socioeconomic status as context for minority stress and health disparities among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1(4), 383-397. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000067
  4. 3. Wilson, B. D., Bouton, L. J., Badgett, M. V. L., & Macklin, M. L. (2023). LGBT poverty in the United States: trends at the onset of COVID-19. Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law.
  5. 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Mental Health. https://www.cdc.gov/mental-health/index.html
  6. 5. Compton, M. T. (2014). Food insecurity as a social determinant of mental health. Psychiatric Annals, 44(1), 46-51. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20140108-08
  7. 6. Kopasker, D., Montagna, C., & Bender, K. A. (2018). Economic insecurity: A socioeconomic determinant of mental health. SSM-Population Health, 6, 184-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2018.09.006
  8. 7. Wilson, K. (2024). Conceptualizing the Social Determinants of Mental Health Within an International Human Rights Framework: A Focus on Housing and Employment. Health and Human Rights, 26(2), 1-12.
  9. 8. Bosley‐Smith, E. R. (2023). Anticipatory economic stressors: Perceived and potential sources of economic disadvantage for LGBTQ adults. Sociological Inquiry, 93(3), 465-495. https://doi.org/10.1111/soin.12533
  10. 9. Drydakis, N. (2024). The Economics of Being LGBT. A Review: 2015–2020. The Routledge Handbook of LGBTQ Identity in Organizations and Society, 200-213.
  11. 10. Pryor, L., Melchior, M., Avendano, M., & Surkan, P. J. (2023). Childhood food insecurity, mental distress in young adulthood and the supplemental nutrition assistance program. Preventive Medicine, 168, 107409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107409
  12. 11. Fenelon, A., Slopen, N., Boudreaux, M., & Newman, S. J. (2018). The impact of housing assistance on the mental health of children in the United States. Journal of health and social behavior, 59(3), 447-463. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146518792286
  13. 12. Dore, E. C., Livingston Iii, M. D., & Shafer, P. R. (2022). Easing Cash Assistance Rules During COVID-19 Was Associated with Reduced Days of Poor Physical and Mental Health: Study Examines Impact of Easing Cash Assistance Rules during COVID-19 Had Participants’ Physical and Mental Health. Health Affairs, 41(11), 1590-1597. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00740
  14. 13. Poteat, T. C., Reisner, S. L., Wirtz, A. L., Mayo-Wilson, L. J., Brown, C., Kornbluh, W., … & Perrin, N. (2024). A Microfinance Intervention With or Without Peer Support to Improve Mental Health Among Transgender and Nonbinary Adults (the Creating Access to Resources and Economic Support Study): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR research protocols, 13(1), e63656. https://doi.org/10.2196/63656
  15. 14. Nath, R., Matthews, D.D., DeChants, J.P., Hobaica, S., Clark, C.M., Taylor, A.B., Muñoz, G. (2024). 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. West Hollywood, California: The Trevor Project. www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024
  16. 15. Connell, C. L., Nord, M., Lofton, K. L., & Yadrick, K. (2004). Food security of older children can be assessed using a standardized survey instrument. The Journal of Nutrition, 134(10), 2566–2572. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.10.2566
  17. 16. Williams, V. F., Smith, A. A., Villanti, A. C., Rath, J. M., Hair, E. C., Cantrell, J., … & Vallone, D. M. (2017). Validity of a subjective financial situation measure to assess socioeconomic status in US young adults. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 23(5), 487-495. https://doi.org/10.1097/phh.0000000000000468
  18. 17. Plummer, F., Manea, L., Trepel, D., & McMillan, D. (2016). Screening for anxiety disorders with the GAD-7 and GAD-2: A systematic review and diagnostic metaanalysis. General Hospital Psychiatry, 39, 24–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2015.11.005
  19. 18. Richardson, L. P., Rockhill, C., Russo, J. E., Grossman, D. C., Richards, J., McCarty, C., McCauley, E., & Katon, W.. (2010). Evaluation of the PHQ-2 as a brief screen for detecting major depression among adolescents. Pediatrics, 125(5),e1097-e1103. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-2712
  20. 19. Johns, M. M., Lowry, R., Haderxhanaj, L. T., Rasberry, C. N., Robin, L., Scales, L., Stone, D., & Suarez, N. A. (2020). Trends in violence victimization and suicide risk by sexual identity among high school students—Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2015–2019. MMWR Supplements, 69(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su6901a3

The Trevor Project. (2025). The Impact of Houselessness and Food Insecurity on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. https://doi.org/10.70226/XAGT4119

For more information please contact: [email protected]

© The Trevor Project 2025

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