Here's the Shocking List of the 10 Least Friendly Cities for LGBTQ+ Folks

A new study used 14 criteria to rank cities in the U.S. according to how friendly they are to the LGBTQ+ community.

The study from Clever, the real estate data company, examined 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.

Earlier, we highlighted the 15 most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the U.S. and there were few surprises. There were, however, several shocking entries on the 10 least LGBTQ-friendly cities in the U.S.

Upon further examination, though, Click says that’s less a criticism of the city than it is of the state where it is located.

“What stands out in the bottom cities is that they all have particularly low state equality tally scores,” Click explains. “The bottom 10 average a state equality tally score of -3.15, which is 119 percent lower than the average state’s score of 16.7. Seven out of the bottom 10 cities are also in states that have a “Don’t Say Gay” law, one of the most restrictive laws targeting LGBTQ Americans.

Keep scrolling to see the 10 least LGBTQ-friendly cities in the U.S. You can read the full report from Click here.

10. Kansas City, Missouri

9. St. Louis, Missouri

8. Tampa, Florida

7. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

6. Dallas, Texas

5. Miami, Florida

4. Birmingham, Alabama

3. Jacksonville, Florida

2. Houston, Texas

1. Memphis, Tennessee