All across China, vast cities of silent high-rises stretch across the horizon – empty, unfinished, and uninhabited. These so-called “ghost cities” are haunting reminders of the country’s breakneck economic rise over the last 30 years – and the bumpy landing that followed.
No country has ever built so much so quickly and it means ghost cities – also known as metropolises that have yet to come to life – lie in every corner of China. Dozens of skyscrapers pop up overnight and chilling pictures show the vacant – and sometimes half-finished structures – which have been deserted by developers. Rows of post-apocalyptic housing estates tower over visitors – and impressive attractions and shopping malls gather dust without any residents or tourists stepping foot inside.
Meanwhile, Estimates of the homeless population in China vary wildly, ranging from official figures of around 2 million to broader, analyst-driven estimates exceeding 24 million as of mid-2025 due to youth job crises and economic pressures. Some researchers even consider up to 300 million people, including rural migrant workers with precarious housing, to be vulnerable.
Key Aspects of homelessness in China include surging Numbers: Recent data suggests a massive surge in homelessness due to worsening employment prospects and high living costs, with some reports citing up to 24.1 million homeless by May 2025.
And them there are the Invisible Homelessness: The "visible" homeless population on streets is often strictly managed, relocated, or returned to their hometowns by authorities, making the problem less visible in major cities.
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