# Most Americans have never faced housing instability

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/culture/most-americans-have-never-faced-housing-instability/

> Indexed question in Culture.

## Reading

Most Americans (59%) say they have never experienced any form of housing instability, according to a Verasight survey conducted March 6-16, 2026. That leaves roughly four-in-ten (41%) who have faced at least one.

The most widely reported, at 32%, is temporarily staying with relatives, friends, or couch-surfing, followed by hotel or motel stays (15%), makeshift or uninhabitable spaces (10%), RVs or campers (8%), and outdoor locations or short-term transitional housing (7% each).

## Topline

Experiences with housing instability

Most Americans have never faced housing instability.

Respondents could select more than one option, so shares may sum to more than 100%.

- None of the listed housing-instability experiences: 59.3%
- Temporarily stayed with others or couch-surfed: 32.4%
- Temporarily stayed in a hotel or motel: 15.1%
- Stayed in a place not meant for housing: 10.1%
- Stayed in an RV or camper: 7.7%
- Stayed outdoors: 6.9%
- Stayed in short-term transitional housing: 6.9%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2026-03-06 → 2026-03-16
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.6%
- Module: Module 4: Identity, Politics, & Social Trust
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044#q-4-7](https://reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044#q-4-7)

## Citation

Verasight Client Omnibus Survey #2026-044, fielded March 6-16, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.6%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044#q-4-7](https://reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044#q-4-7)