In 2021, around ** percent of individuals living in the District of Columbia identified as LGBT. Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon also had high rates, exceeding *** percent. Mississippi and North Dakota had the lowest rates of LGBT populations, the only states with less than **** percent.

In 2023, 7.6 percent of adults surveyed in the United States stated they identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). This is an increase from 2012, when 3.5 percent of surveyed adults identified as LGBT. These four categories are among the most common sexual orientations and gender identities outside cis-heterosexuals.

Differences across ages and genders 

Zooming in, it is possible to see how the share of people identifying as LGBT changed considerably according to different demographics. Only two percent of Baby Boomers, indeed, reported being part of the LGBT community. On the other hand, among Generation Z individuals, this share reached almost 16 percent. Moreover, surveys suggest that women were more likely to identify as LGBT than men.

An ever-understanding society 

The fact that an increasing amount of people feel free and safe to openly identify as LGBT might be a consequence of the improved acceptance of the different sexual orientations and genders by the American people at large. While in 2001 more than half of U.S. citizens considered homosexual relationships to be morally wrong, 20 years later this percentage dropped to 30 percent. Support for same-sex marriage has also been consistently increasing, even among traditionally conservative political groups. Despite this, it is important to remember that every year hundreds of people are still victims of hate crimes in the United States simply because of their gender or sexual orientation.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the population of Gay by race. It includes the population of Gay across racial categories (excluding ethnicity) as identified by the Census Bureau. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Gay across relevant racial categories.

Key observations

The percent distribution of Gay population by race (across all racial categories recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau): 60.48% are white, 38.71% are some other race and 0.81% are multiracial.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Racial categories include:

• White
• Black or African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• Some other race
• Two or more races (multiracial)

Variables / Data Columns

• Race: This column displays the racial categories (excluding ethnicity) for the Gay
• Population: The population of the racial category (excluding ethnicity) in the Gay is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the percentage distribution of each race as a proportion of Gay total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Gay Population by Race & Ethnicity. You can refer the same here

This statistic shows the metropolitan areas in the United States with the highest share in inhabitants identifying as gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual. In 2014, the San Francisco - Oakland - Hayward metro area in California had the highest share of LGBT population with *** percent.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Non-Hispanic population of Gay by race. It includes the distribution of the Non-Hispanic population of Gay across various race categories as identified by the Census Bureau. The dataset can be utilized to understand the Non-Hispanic population distribution of Gay across relevant racial categories.

Key observations

Of the Non-Hispanic population in Gay, the largest racial group is White alone with a population of 75 (98.68% of the total Non-Hispanic population).

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Racial categories include:

• White
• Black or African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• Some other race
• Two or more races (multiracial)

Variables / Data Columns

• Race: This column displays the racial categories (for Non-Hispanic) for the Gay
• Population: The population of the racial category (for Non-Hispanic) in the Gay is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the percentage distribution of each race as a proportion of Gay total Non-Hispanic population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Gay Population by Race & Ethnicity. You can refer the same here

The 119th Congress began in January 2025. This Congress had the same number of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) members as the 118th Congress, which was the most of any Congress in history. In this Congress, there were 12 openly LGB members in the House, and one member in the Senate.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Gay population by age cohorts (Children: Under 18 years; Working population: 18-64 years; Senior population: 65 years or more). It lists the population in each age cohort group along with its percentage relative to the total population of Gay. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution across children, working population and senior population for dependency ratio, housing requirements, ageing, migration patterns etc.

Key observations

The largest age group was 18 to 64 years with a poulation of 80 (64.52% of the total population). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Age cohorts:

• Under 18 years
• 18 to 64 years
• 65 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age cohort for the Gay population analysis. Total expected values are 3 groups ( Children, Working Population and Senior Population).
• Population: The population for the age cohort in Gay is shown in the following column.
• Percent of Total Population: The population as a percent of total population of the Gay is shown in the following column.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Gay Population by Age. You can refer the same here

U.S. states hold a lot of power to determine individual laws and policies that are enacted within them. According to the source, California and Colorado score highest across seven major policy areas: relationship and parental recognition; nondiscrimination; religious exemptions; LGBTQ youth; health care; criminal justice; and identity documents. As of August 2025, California had a score of 45 while Arkansas had a score of -14.25 - the lowest of any state.

In 2023, 8.5 percent of female respondents in the United States stated they identify as LGBT, while 4.7 percent of male respondents said the same. This is an increase from 2012, when 3.5 percent of female respondents and 3.4 percent of male respondents identified as LGBT.

This layer shows Household Pulse Survey data on gender identity and sexual orientation. Gender identity is the internal perception of gender, and how one identifies based on how one aligns or doesn’t align with cultural options for gender. This is a different concept than sex assigned at birth. Sexual orientation is the type of sexual attraction one has the capacity to feel for others, generally labeled based on the gender relationship between the person and the people they are attracted to. This is not the same as sexual behavior or preference.Learn more about how the Census Bureau survey measures sexual orientation and gender identity. This page includes nation-wide characteristics such as age, Hispanic origin and race, and educational attainment. Also read some of their findings about experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) adults experiencing higher rates of both economic hardship and mental health hardship. See the questionnaire used in phase 3.2 of the Household Pulse Survey.Source: Household Pulse Survey Data Tables. Data values in this layer are from Week 34 (July 21 - August 2, 2021), the first week that gender identity and sexual orientation questions were part of this survey. Top 15 metros are based on total population and are the same 15 metros available for all Household Pulse Data Tables.This layer is symbolized to show the percent of adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) as well as adults whose gender or sexual orientation was not listed on the survey (LGBTQIA+). The color of the symbol depicts the percentage and the size of the symbol depicts the count. *Percent calculations do not use those who did not report either their gender or sexual orientation in either the numerator or denominator, consistent with methodology used by the source.*Data Prep Steps:Data prep used Table 1 (Child Tax Credit Payment Status and Use, by Select Characteristics) to perform tabular data transformation. SAS to Table conversion tool was used to bring the tables into ArcGIS Pro.The data is joined to 2019 TIGER boundaries from the U.S. Census Bureau.Using the counties in each metro according to the Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Reference Files, metro boundaries created via Merge and Dissolve tools in ArcGIS Pro.In preparing the field aliases and long descriptions, "none of these" and "something else" were generally modified to "not listed."

As bisexual individuals in the United States (U.S.) face significant health disparities, researchers have posited that these differences may be fueled, at least in part, by negative attitudes, prejudice, stigma, and discrimination toward bisexual individuals from heterosexual and gay/lesbian individuals. Previous studies of individual and social attitudes toward bisexual men and women have been conducted almost exclusively with convenience samples, with limited generalizability to the broader U.S. population. Our study provides an assessment of attitudes toward bisexual men and women among a nationally representative sample of heterosexual, gay, lesbian, and “other”-identified adults in the U.S. Data were collected from the 2015 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB), via an online questionnaire with a probability sample of adults (18 and over) from throughout the U.S. We included two modified 5-item versions of the Bisexualities: Indiana Attitudes Scale (BIAS), validated sub-scales that were developed to measure attitudes toward bisexual men and women. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, gamma regression, and paired t-tests. Gender, sexual identity, age, race/ethnicity, income, and educational attainment were all significantly associated with participants' attitudes toward bisexual individuals. In terms of responses to individual scale items, participants were most likely to “neither agree nor disagree” with attitudinal statements. Across sexual identities, self-identified "other" participants reported the most positive attitudes, while heterosexual male participants reported the least positive attitudes. Overall, attitudes toward bisexual men were significantly less positive than toward bisexual women across identities. As in previous research on convenience samples, we found a wide range of demographic characteristics were related with attitudes toward bisexual individuals in our nationally-representative study of heterosexual, gay/lesbian, and "other"-identified adults in the U.S. Additionally, as in previous studies, gender emerged as a significant characteristic; female participants’ attitudes were more positive than male participants’ attitudes, and all participants’ attitudes were generally more positive toward bisexual women than bisexual men. While population data suggest a marked shift in more positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women in the general population of the U.S., the largest proportions of participants in our study reported a relative lack of agreement or disagreement with the affective-evaluative statements in the BIAS scales. Findings document the absence of positive attitudes toward bisexual individuals among the general population of adults in the U.S. Our findings highlight the need for developing intervention approaches to promote more positive attitudes toward bisexual individuals, targeted toward not only heterosexual and but also gay/lesbian individuals and communities.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Gays population over the last 20 plus years. It lists the population for each year, along with the year on year change in population, as well as the change in percentage terms for each year. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population change of Gays across the last two decades. For example, using this dataset, we can identify if the population is declining or increasing. If there is a change, when the population peaked, or if it is still growing and has not reached its peak. We can also compare the trend with the overall trend of United States population over the same period of time.

Key observations

In 2023, the population of Gays was 214, a 1.38% decrease year-by-year from 2022. Previously, in 2022, Gays population was 217, a decline of 3.12% compared to a population of 224 in 2021. Over the last 20 plus years, between 2000 and 2023, population of Gays decreased by 59. In this period, the peak population was 281 in the year 2010. The numbers suggest that the population has already reached its peak and is showing a trend of decline. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Data Coverage:

• From 2000 to 2023

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column displays the data year (Measured annually and for years 2000 to 2023)
• Population: The population for the specific year for the Gays is shown in this column.
• Year on Year Change: This column displays the change in Gays population for each year compared to the previous year.
• Change in Percent: This column displays the year on year change as a percentage. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Gays Population by Year. You can refer the same here

In 2024, 14.2 percent of Millennials in the United States stated that they identify as LGBTQ+, while in 2012, less than six percent of respondents from the same generation said the same. Members of Generation Z were the most likely to identify as LGBTQ+, at over 23 percent.

In 2022, about ** percent of male-male couples in the United States were White, compared to *** percent of gay couples who were Black or African American. Gay marriage in the United States In the mid-1990s, a majority of the U.S. population believed that same-sex couples should not be recognized by law, although this figure has been on the decline since then. In 2011, more than ** percent of Americans believed the opposite, saying that homosexual couples should be recognized by law. 2015 saw a spike in support, and on June 26 of that year, the United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges. Being LGBT in America The share of Americans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) has been on the rise since 2012 and it is estimated that there are about *********** same-sex couples in the U.S. Additionally, about **** of surveyed people in 2019 believe that one is born gay or lesbian – a significant increase from 1977, when only ** percent of respondents said the same.

Uruguay was rated the safest Latin American country for LGBTQ tourists in 2025, scoring 11 points. Following in the ranking was Chile, which rated 10 points. In the Caribbean region, Cuba, Guadeloupe, and Martinique ranked in the top three places as the safest travel destinations for this group of travelers.

This statistics shows a ranking of the friendliness towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Latin America in 2016, broken down by country. In that year, Uruguay and Argentina ranked first on the LGBT friendliness scale, whereas Paraguay came in last with a score of 14.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the population of Fort Gay by gender, including both male and female populations. This dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Fort Gay across both sexes and to determine which sex constitutes the majority.

Key observations

There is a slight majority of male population, with 52.72% of total population being male. Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Scope of gender :

Please note that American Community Survey asks a question about the respondents current sex, but not about gender, sexual orientation, or sex at birth. The question is intended to capture data for biological sex, not gender. Respondents are supposed to respond with the answer as either of Male or Female. Our research and this dataset mirrors the data reported as Male and Female for gender distribution analysis. No further analysis is done on the data reported from the Census Bureau.

Variables / Data Columns

• Gender: This column displays the Gender (Male / Female)
• Population: The population of the gender in the Fort Gay is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the percentage distribution of each gender as a proportion of Fort Gay total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Fort Gay Population by Race & Ethnicity. You can refer the same here

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the data for the Gay, GA population pyramid, which represents the Gay population distribution across age and gender, using estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. It lists the male and female population for each age group, along with the total population for those age groups. Higher numbers at the bottom of the table suggest population growth, whereas higher numbers at the top indicate declining birth rates. Furthermore, the dataset can be utilized to understand the youth dependency ratio, old-age dependency ratio, total dependency ratio, and potential support ratio.

Key observations

• Youth dependency ratio, which is the number of children aged 0-14 per 100 persons aged 15-64, for Gay, GA, is 16.3.
• Old-age dependency ratio, which is the number of persons aged 65 or over per 100 persons aged 15-64, for Gay, GA, is 18.5.
• Total dependency ratio for Gay, GA is 34.8.
• Potential support ratio, which is the number of youth (working age population) per elderly, for Gay, GA is 5.4.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group for the Gay population analysis. Total expected values are 18 and are define above in the age groups section.
• Population (Male): The male population in the Gay for the selected age group is shown in the following column.
• Population (Female): The female population in the Gay for the selected age group is shown in the following column.
• Total Population: The total population of the Gay for the selected age group is shown in the following column.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Gay Population by Age. You can refer the same here

In Europe, the Netherlands and Denmark have the highest percentages of LGBTI people who feel free to be open about their sexual orientation. In a survey conducted in 2019, 66 percent of respondents from the Netherlands and Denmark, declared that they were fairly or very open about their sexual orientation. Sweden, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom followed. In the European Union, lesbian and gay people are more likely to be open about their sexual orientation than bisexual, trans, and intersex people. In a survey conducted in 2019 in 28 EU countries, bisexual men and intersex people were mostly never or almost never open about their sexual orientation.

Same-sex couples in Europe

In Europe, 23 countries recognized same-sex couples as of 2020. There are various forms of recognition of rights and duties of same-sex couples, including civil unions, concubinary unions, de facto partnerships, registered partnerships, and other types of partnerships. Same-sex marriage, has been legalized in 17 countries in Europe, with Switzerland the latest to do so. In 17 European countries, same-sex couples can also jointly adopt children as of 2020. In America and Europe, more countries permitted homosexual couples to adopt children than in Oceania, Asia, and Africa.

LGBT+ in Eastern Europe

Among East European countries, support for the equal rights of LGBT+ people is low. According to a recent survey, about one half of respondents in Czechia expressed support toward equal rights for the LGBT+ community, the largest share among surveyed countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The Parliament in Hungary approved in 2021 an anti-LGBT law, which was condemned by the European Union, as it breaches guarantees of freedom of expression and non-discrimination. This motion was openly supported by the Polish government.

In a global survey conducted in 2023, ***** percent of respondents declared to be homosexual, gay, or lesbian. In Brazil and the Netherlands, for instance, **** percent, instead, identified as bisexual, representing the largest group of bisexual respondents among the 30 surveyed countries. Moreover, *** percent of the interviewees in Switzerland said to be pansexual or omnisexual. Pansexuality describes people who feel attracted to other people regardless of their biological sex, gender, or gender identity, whereas omnisexuality refers to people attracted to people of all gender identities and sexual orientations.