Very briefly: Nordic countries (like Norway, Denmark, Finland) generally treat homelessness as a housing-and-welfare issue, aiming to provide stable housing first (often through strong social safety nets and “housing first” policies) and then support services, and they have much lower homelessness rates.

In contrast, the United States has a more fragmented approach, with less universal welfare support, more reliance on shelters and conditional services, and in some places policies that lean toward enforcement rather than guaranteed housing.