Data on homelessness and housing exclusion 2026: Slovak Republic

Summary of key data and information

	Summary of key data and information
Official statistical definition of homelessness (Table 1)	In the 2021 census, the Slovak Republic specifically identified the secondary homeless, which is defined as “residents who use various types of temporary accommodation and often move between accommodation, such as a shelter, a halfway house, an emergency housing facility, or reside in non-conventional housing (recreational object, emergency object not intended for living, mobile home)”.
Latest national estimates of homelessness (Table 2, Table 3)	71 076 individuals, representing 1.31% of the total population (2021)
	39% are women, 61% are men
	Point-in-time count, based on Population and Housing Census 2021
	ETHOS Light groups included	Included: 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 5: People in non-conventional dwellings (e.g. caravans, cars or tents) Not included: ETHOS Light 1: Living on the streets, in public spaces ETHOS Light 6: Living temporarily with others in conventional housing (e.g. sofa-surfing)
	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 the Slovak Republic.
Homelessness Strategy (Table 5)	National Homelessness Strategy: National Concept for the Prevention and Ending of Homelessness Regional and/or local homelessness strategies exist
Approaches to collect data on homelessness (Table 6)	Population and Housing Census: Census to be completed by individuals and municipalities (Table 6.1) Information System of Social Services: Social service providers keep records of services provided to people experiencing homelessness (Table 6.2). City-level homelessness counts: Bratislava (2023), Košice (2024) and Prešov (2025) (Table 6.3).

Table 1. Official statistical definition of homelessness

Statistical definition

Homelessness

The Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic defined the methodological basis for identifying homeless people during Census 2021 in the context of international recommendations. The population census concept and methodology enabled the quantification of the secondary homeless, i.e. residents who use various types of temporary accommodation and often move between accommodation, such as a shelter, a halfway house, an emergency housing facility, or reside in non-conventional housing (recreational object, emergency object not intended for living, mobile home). Census 2011 used the concept of secondary homelessness. These were persons enumerated in dwellings outside the housing stock, collective accommodation facilities of temporary accommodation (dormitory, halfway home, shelter, hostel for homeless people, facilities for homeless people), without shelter and in a fictitious house. The term fictitious house was used when the person did not live in a dwelling or a family house. The reason for this was that, formally, every inhabitant must be counted in a dwelling and dwelling in a house/residential building.

Table 2. Data on people experiencing homelessness: Headline estimate, by living situation

Presented according to ETHOS Light Typology

Year	Headline estimate of homelessness (Individuals)	% 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
2011	23 483	0.44%	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
2021	71 076(a)	1.31%	Not included	Included in headline estimate but not specified(b)	1 863	Included in headline estimate but not specified	5 196	Not included
Metadata: Type of count: Point-in-time Data are comparable across years: No Included in headline estimate: Children: Yes Temporary accommodation for: Asylum seekers: No Refugees: No Victims/survivors of domestic violence: Yes

Note: (a) 64 017 people have either yet to be categorised or the exact address of their permanent or current residence in the municipality could not be determined. (b) Night-shelters considered under ETHOS 2 are low-threshold services; thus, it is not possible to count the number of unique persons. The Report on Social Situation of the Population, issued by the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family for 2024 found that the number of overall overnight stays in night-shelters considered under ETHOS 2 was 158 525. However, this value is a flow count, and consequently cannot be compared with Census.

Source: OECD Questionnaire on Affordable and Social Housing (QuASH); Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (2023), Population and Housing Census 2021.

Table 3. Data on people experiencing homelessness: Headline estimate, by sub-group and living situation

Presented according to ETHOS Light Typology, 2021

	Single adults	Men	Women	Youth (aged 15 and younger)	Older people (aged 65 and over)	Families with children (# of households)
Headline estimate of homelessness	71 076	43 132	27 944	11 045	4 477	NA
As percentage of total population experiencing homelessness	100%	60.7%	39.3%	15.5%	6.3%	NA
ETHOS Light 1: People living rough	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
ETHOS Light 2: People in emergency accommodation	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
ETHOS Light 3: People in accommodation for the homeless	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
ETHOS Light 4: People living in institutions	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
ETHOS Light 5: People living in unconventional dwellings	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
ETHOS Light 6: People staying with family/friends	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Metadata: Type of count: Point-in-time Included in headline estimate: Children: Yes 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); Ľudia bez domova (Census 2021): https://www.scitanie.sk/storage/app/media/dokumenty/ludia_bez_domova_SODB_2021.pdf.

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	National Concept for the Prevention and Ending of Homelessness
Regional and/or local homelessness strategies exist	Yes.

Table 6. Approaches to collect data on homelessness

6.1. Population and Housing Census
Description The Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic carries out a population and housing census where it collects data on housing structures through an online questionnaire. Assistance is provided at municipal contact points or at home to people who cannot complete the census online, such as those who are digitally excluded and elderly residents. Municipalities also submit administrative data through a questionnaire or by uploading the information directly into a database to supplement the information on housing structures and homelessness.
Type of count generated Point-in-time	Methods Population Census Administrative data
Lead authority(ies) Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic	Source(s) of information General population completes the questionnaire online or at a municipal contact point and municipalities provide administrative data on housing structures
Scope National level	Depth of data Data disaggregated by: type of housing structure and dwelling ownership
Frequency Every 10 years
ETHOS Light groups included: 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 5: People in non-conventional dwellings (e.g. caravans, cars or tents) Note: 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.
Notes and sources Population and Housing Census 2021 Houses by type of house and type of house ownership_2021 Dwellings by type of house and type of dwelling ownership_2021
6.2. Information System of Social Services
Description Municipalities, higher territorial units, and providers of social services keep relevant records of services provided to people experiencing homelessness through an online information system. The Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family processes this information and publishes data and information through a public module.
Type of count generated Point-in-time	Methods Information management system on individuals experiencing homelessness
Lead authority(ies) Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family	Source(s) of information Social service providers provide information through the collection module of the information system.
Scope National level	Depth of data Data disaggregated by number of clients and key demographic characteristics of clients
Frequency Annual
ETHOS Light groups included: ETHOS Light 2: Emergency accommodation (e.g. shelters) ETHOS Light 3: Accommodation for the homeless (e.g. hostels and women’s refuges) Note: 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.
Notes and sources Information system of social services - IS SoS - MPSVR SR (gov.sk)
6.3. City-level homelessness counts
Description Several city-level homelessness counts have been conducted since 2023 in Slovakia’s three largest cities: Bratislava (2023), Košice (2024) and Prešov (2025). Information reported below refers to the count in Bratislava; additional information on the counts in other cities are referenced below.
Type of count generated Point-in-time	Methods Street count and survey
Lead authority(ies) Municipality, with Institute for Labor and Family Research (IVPR)	Source(s) of information People experiencing homelessness were interviewed by social workers and volunteers
Scope Municipal count	Depth of data Age, gender, housing trajectory, income, incarceration history (if any), access to food/health and social services, self-reported health outcomes
Frequency Non-periodic City counts were conducted separately / not co‑ordinated
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 5: People in non-conventional dwellings (e.g. caravans, cars or tents) Note: 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.
Notes and sources City reports: Bratislava (2023); Košice (2024); Prešov (2025) – forthcoming

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-housing-database.html.

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