A new study has ranked the 15 most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the United States.
The study from Clever, the real estate data company, examined 14 criteria including the LGBTQ+ population, gay bars and Pride events, state and local laws, curricular standards, equality scores from the Human Rights Campaign and the Municipality Advancement Project, support groups, LGBTQ-affirming healthcare providers, and even the percentage of residents opposing marriage equality and non-discrimination laws.
Keep scrolling to see the top 15 LGBTQ-friendly cities in the U.S. You can read the full report from Click, the real estate data company, here.
(Image credit: Eddie.Hernandez.com/Shutterstock; Janet J/Shutterstock)
15. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee skyline
Image by Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
The Milwaukee metro area has 0.45 gay bars per 100,000 residents, which is 50 percent more than the average city in the study.
14. Baltimore, Maryland
Brick buildings along Thames Street in historic Fell’s Point neighborhood
Image by f11photo/Shutterstock
Maryland has a state equality score 89 percent higher than others in the study.
13. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Rachel Carson Bridge (aka Ninth Street Bridge) spans the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh
Image by Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Pittsburg offers 2.72 LGBTQ-affirming healthcare providers per 100,000 residents, which is 94 higher than the average metro in the study.
12. Richmond, Virginia
Columns and Ivy in Maymont Gardens, Richmond, Virginia
Image by Janet J/Shutterstock
Richmond boasts a perfect municipal equality score of 100 in the study.
11. San Jose, California
Zoom headquarters in San Jose
Image by Sundry Photography/Shutterstock
Just behind Richmond, the Silicon Valley city of San Jose has a municipal equality score of 97 out of 100.
10. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans Cajun red beans and rice with andouille sausage
Image by HG Photography/Shutterstock
As if the amazing food is not enough, New Orleans has 1.43 gay bars per 100,000 residents which is the highest in the study.
9. Chicago, Illinois
Pride in Chicago’s Boystown gayborhood
Image by Dominique Robinson/Shutterstock
Illinois has a state equality tally score of 37.5, a remarkable 125 percent above the state average.
8. Sacramento, California
California State Capitol
Image by lv-olga/Shutterstock
Like Richmond, the capital city of California earned a perfect municipal score.
7. San Diego, California
Fireworks over San Diego skyline
Image by Marti Bug Catcher/Shutterstock
San Diego has some of the best weather in the country, as well as 0.12 pride events per 100,000 residents annually which is 71 percent above the average in the study
6. Los Angeles, California
Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles
Image by Eddie.Hernandez.com/Shutterstock
Los Angeles is a tolerant city. Just 15 percent oppose non-discrimination laws which is 21 percent less than the national average.
5. Denver, Colorado
Red Rocks Amphitheater outside Denver
Image by Stan Hill/Shutterstock
Denver has an equality score 154 percent higher than average as well as 25 percent more LGBTQ-affirming healthcare providers per 100,000 residents than the average metro area in the study.
4. Portland, Oregon
Cherry tree blossoms in Portland’s Tom McCall Park
Image by Michael Warwick/Shutterstock
A full eight percent of the population of Oregon identifies as LGBTQ+, the largest in the country.
3. Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas Strip at night
Image by randy andy/Shutterstock
The Las Vegas metro area has 0.22 pride events per 100,000 residents annually, a staggering 214 percent more than the average metro area in the study.
2. Hartford, Connecticut
Pond at Elizabeth Park, in Hartford
Image by Jon Bilous/Shutterstock
Hartford is the third-smallest metro area in the study, but only 11 percent of residents oppose marriage equality, the lowest in the study.
1. San Francisco, California
Sunrise over San Francisco skyline
Image by f11photo/Shutterstock
Was there ever any doubt? San Francisco ranks near the top of almost every category, making it the most LGBTQ-friendly city in the U.S.
You can read the full report from Click, the real estate data company, here.
