Jefferson County saw the highest increase in the rate of homelessness in the metro area, though Denver still dwarfed its neighbor’s total number of homeless people.

Jeffco saw a 27% increase in homelessness from 2024 to 2025 — the largest increase within the metro, according to Kerry Wrenick, regional homeless coordinator for the county.

Those numbers are based upon a collection of data from the county’s annual Point-In-Time Count (PIT), the Homeless Management Information System, McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act school district data and more.

Wrenick addressed the numbers with the Westminster City Council during a study session Monday. The council brought in representatives from both Adams and Jefferson County to discuss homeless initiatives as the council prepares to draft its strategic plan at the end of the month.

During the presentation, Wrenick added that around 50% of all homeless respondents said they were newly homeless, leading to an overall 164% increase in homeless people since 2022.

While the 2026 PIT just occurred last week, the county is expecting a 3% increase.

The 2023 PIT count had 854 homeless people in the county. The 2025 count saw 1,174.

Although fewer people are sleeping on the streets in Denver, the total number of homeless individuals in the city grew, the report showed. 

In Denver, a total of 7,327 people were counted as homeless — a figure that grew by 788 over 2024. 

Mayor Mike Johnston touted Denver’s numbers, though he cited the specific category of “unsheltered” individuals, which saw a decrease, and not the total number of homeless people, which increased. The unsheltered category refers to people who live and sleep in public — in tents or under bridges, for example.

“As of right now, Denver has now delivered the largest multi-year decrease in street homelessness than any city in American history,” Johnston said last summer.

Denver’s total homeless increase came after the city spent more than $150 million into hotel shelters, “micro” communities, and service contracts to house the homeless and provide “wrap-around” services, such as case management, mental health services and job assistance.

In Jefferson County, officials are still working to put in place a regional approach, with Wrenick telling the council that this can’t be done by one sole body.

For example, the county has focused its efforts on the Heading Home initiative since the beginning of 2024. The program includes meetings between city officials, meetings with local religious centers and increased communication between people who work in the field and elected offcials who make decisions.

These efforts also include monthly meetings between all of the Jefferson County city managers.

Furthermore, the county created a regional agreement in October that pooled funding and resources around severe weather and keeping local shelters open during significant weather events.

“Ensuring that those who are most vulnerable have access to sheltering is definitely the priority,” Wrenick said, but added that it is not a long-term solution.

“It’s an enormous win and one of the things I’m most proud of being on council,” Westminster Mayor Claire Carmelia said of the ongoing collaboration.

Still, there is work to be done, everyone agreed, with more collaborative meetings and long-term plans finalized.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that Denver’s homeless population grew between 2024 and 2025.