We all know the importance of getting a good night’s rest. It’s not just about performing well at school or work the next day—it’s the foundation of physical and mental health and overall well-being. Sadly, good sleep isn’t the norm for everyone. While many factors impact the quality and quantity of our sleep, the environment is a big one. It turns out that where we sleep plays a massive role in shaping how well we rest and, by extension, how we live.
It’s often said that America is a melting pot and that diversity extends to the places where we live and sleep. Across the country, you’ll find people sleeping in an extraordinary variety of places, from single-family houses and apartments to college dorms, nursing homes, recreational vehicles, and even correctional facilities. While people can sometimes get a good night’s rest anywhere, the diversity in our living arrangements reveals societal truths about the barriers many face when getting a good night’s rest.
In this report from NapLab, our research team looked at the housing data across the United States to delve deeper into the story of where Americans are laying down their heads at night.
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</center>Where Do Most People in the U.S. Sleep?
As of 2023, nearly 98% of Americans live in households. Approximately two-thirds of the population own their home, while around 30% are renters. However, some individuals are opting for alternative lifestyles. Around one million Americans live full-time in RVs, embracing mobility and minimalism, while others do so for economic reasons. Meanwhile, about 0.08% of the population (roughly 256 thousand individuals) is unsheltered, highlighting the crucial disparity in housing availability across the country.
More than eight million Americans reside in “group quarters”—a category that refers to any housing situation that involves group living. For example, the elderly living in nursing homes, young adults living in college dorms, and military personnel living on a base or naval ships are in this category. This category also includes incarcerated people occupying state prisons, local jails, and immigration detention centers.
Housing Insecurity and the Rise of Full-Time RV Living
Economic pressures and evolving cultural values have led many Americans to reconsider traditional housing. The late 2010s saw the rise of the tiny home trend, where people traded in their regular-sized houses for compact, efficient, eco-friendly dwellings. Since the 2020 Pandemic, we’ve seen a similar increase in the number of Americans living in RVs full-time. Full-time RV living appeals to those seeking freedom and adventure while avoiding the rising costs of conventional housing. However, this lifestyle has challenges, including securing parking, managing utilities, and navigating zoning regulations.
It may also come with risks to the RV dwellers’ sleep. Many RVers have stressed the anxieties and turbulence of the often-romanticized lifestyle. Unsurprisingly, sleep statistics show that excess stress is a leading cause of poor-quality sleep. Additionally, while many may find the nomadic aspect of the lifestyle freeing and beneficial to their mental health, struggling to find a place to park and rest at night also comes with risks to sleep health. Research has clarified that people who feel insecure in their housing situation sleep less than those who have security. The benefits outweigh the risks for many, as RV and Van Life offer an alternative living arrangement for those seeking experience and sustainability over larger living spaces.
Group Housing and Sleep Challenges
Correctional facilities, housing approximately 1.85 million individuals, are often overcrowded and noisy. These conditions disrupt sleep and contribute to heightened stress, mental health challenges, and long-term health issues. The U.S. has one of the highest incarceration rates globally, making these impacts significant on both individual and societal levels.
However, it’s not just incarcerated individuals whose sleep may be affected by group housing. Research indicates that even when a person isn’t woken up, noise exposure still dramatically affects their sleep quality and health. Group housing naturally presents numerous opportunities for noise pollution due to the presence of many people in a shared space. This can occur in various settings, such as military compounds, where multiple individuals may be sleeping in one room; nursing homes, where medical staff move through shared areas; and college dormitories, where students often gather and make noise in the hallways. In fact, 50% of college students have indicated that noise from their roommates has led to poor sleep in a dorm setting.
Sleep is often an underappreciated and underrecognized public health concern. Overcrowding, insecure living conditions, and homelessness all contribute to chronic sleep deprivation, which is linked to serious health issues, depression, anxiety, and increased mortality. With millions of Americans living in group housing for various reasons, this isn’t a matter that should be overlooked.
Of course, some people may have no issues with sleeping in a group setting, but for those who do, it can dramatically impact their day-to-day lives. From RVs to dormitories, from nursing homes to apartments, these diverse experiences help us better understand the broader dynamics shaping Americans and sleep as a whole.
No matter where you sleep, the quality of your mattress plays a critical role in how well you rest. A supportive, comfortable mattress can make all the difference in your overall health and energy levels. If you want to upgrade your sleep setup, check out our mattress reviews to find the best mattress for your needs. From budget-friendly options to luxury picks, we have the tools to help you find better sleep.
Where Americans Sleep
Based on 2023 population numbers.
The population numbers included in the analysis are derived from various sources, some of which are estimations that may not always sum up to the exact population numbers mentioned. However, these compiled figures are sufficiently relevant for estimating the proportion of the population that lives and sleeps in each of the different types of group quarters and residences.
Total Population: 334.91 Million
Household Population: 326.7M (97.5%)
- Population Living in Owner-occupied Housing: 224.01M (66.6%)
- Traditional Housing: 223.01M (66.5%)
- Recreational Vehicle (RV) Full-time: 1M (0.3%)
- Population Living in Renter-occupied Housing: 102.69M (30.6%)
- Population Living Unsheltered (Homeless): 256.6K (0.08%)
Group Quarters Population: 8.21M (2.45%)
Institutionalized Group Quarters Population: 3.61M (1.08%)
Adult Correctional Facilities Population: 1.85M (0.55%)
- State Prisons: 1.05M (0.31%)
- Local Jails: 514K (0.15%)
- Federal Prisons & Jails: 209K (0.06%)
- Territorial Prisons: 8K (0.002%)
- Immigration Detention: 34K (0.01%)
- Involuntary Commitment: 22K (0.007%)
- Indian Country: 2K (0.001%)
- Military Correctional Facility: 1K (0.0003%)
Nursing Facilities Population: 1.6M (0.48%)
- Nursing Homes: 1.2M (0.36%)
- Other (Assisted Living Facilities, Inpatient Hospice): 399K (0.12%)
Juvenile Facilities Population: 87K (0.03%)
- Juvenile Correctional Facilities: 36K (0.0113%)
- Shelters, Detention Centers, and Other Types of Residential Placements for Youth: 51K (0.02%)
Non-institutionalized Group Quarters Population: 4.6M (1.37%)
- College/University Student Housing: 2.92M (0.87%)
- Military Quarters/Military Ships: 321.6K (0.10%)
- Service Members in Military Housing: 271.6K (0.08%)
- Service Members Living on Ships: 50K (0.02%)
Sources:
https://data.census.gov/
https://www.nmhc.org/research-insight/quick-facts-figures/quick-facts-resident-demographics/renters-and-owners/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevetengler/2023/05/02/new-study-shows-the-rv-may-need-a-slightly-revamped-name/
https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness/
https://www.navy.com/navy-life/ship
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2023/03/14/whole_pie_2023/
https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/a-look-at-nursing-facility-characteristics/
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/statistical-briefing-book/data-analysis-tools/jrfcdb
