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Here are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.

Discover the Top 15 LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the United States

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
Image by Dominique-Robinson/Shutterstock; Marti Bug Catcher/Shutterstock; f11photo/Shutterstock

Is your favorite city on the list? Did your favorite city not make the list?


These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.

Image by Eddie.Hernandez.com/Shutterstock; Janet J/Shutterstock

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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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

These Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. \u2013 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.

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Donald Padgett

Managing Editor at OutTraveler. Also write for Out, The Advocate, and Plus magazines.

Managing Editor at OutTraveler. Also write for Out, The Advocate, and Plus magazines.