315 homeless people died in Multnomah County in 2022; that’s almost one person per day, and 23% more than in 2021. The number of deaths has increased by nearly 30% each year between 2018-2022.

“Accidental deaths” (146), which includes overdose (123) was the leading cause of death. “Natural causes” including infections, heart disease, cancer, strokes, COVID-19, and chronic liver and respiratory illness, was the second most frequent cause (121), followed by murder (25) and suicide (17). The average age of death was 49.

Of the 22 zip code areas in Multnomah County, tiny, one mile square zip code, 97209, along the Willamette River, between the Broadway and Steel bridges, had the highest number of deaths, 35. 97209 was my old zip code.

Multnomah County’s budget for homeless services in 2022 was $101.5 million to serve 5,228 homeless people, that’s $19,414 per person. The following year, the number of homeless people in the county increased by 20%.