At least twelve percent of the adult U.S. population identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or otherwise queer. This figure comes from an analysis by the queer organization Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) of data from the U.S. Census Bureau. More than 2.4 million records from 2021 through 2024 were compiled and weighted for this assessment.
Until now, statisticians had estimated the share at eight to nine percent. According to a February Gallup survey on sexual orientation and gender identity, roughly 9.0 percent of the population identified as queer. According to HRCF, researchers attributed the deviation “to differences in survey methods rather than a sudden shift in self-identification.”
The census numbers supplied by the Census Bureau were not based on a small sample but on a comprehensive effort known as the Household Pulse Survey. Sexual orientation and gender identity were not collected separately in this survey, which allowed for a precise capture of gender minorities such as transgender people who might identify as heterosexual, for instance. Unlike traditional telephone surveys, the barrier to telling the truth on digital and anonymous census questionnaires is significantly lower.
Mostly Younger People Identify as Queer
The data show that younger people are primarily identifying as queer. More than half (54 percent) of all queer adults are aged 18 to 34. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, nearly 32 percent identify as LGBTQ+. People on the bisexual spectrum constitute more than seven percent of the adult U.S. population, making them by far the largest group within the community. They account for roughly two-thirds of all queer individuals.
Overall, more than 25.6 million adults in the United States identified as queer. In 40 of the 50 states, the share of queer people is now in the double digits — including in politically contested states such as Arizona (13 percent), Texas (12 percent), or North Carolina (11 percent).
Trump Halted the Collection of Queer Data
There will be no new data for the time being, as the Trump administration halted the collection of sexual and gender minority data. “The Household Pulse Survey is one of the last major federal surveys that included gender identity data before the Trump administration cut questions on sexual orientation and gender identity from about 360 federal data collections,” explained the HRCF.
Kelley Robinson, head of HRC’s parent organization, sees the figures ahead of the November midterm elections as a chance for the queer community to seize political momentum: “LGBTQ+ Americans are everywhere,” Robinson said. “There are 25 million of us nationwide, and we have now achieved a critical mass in almost every state. We are not a fringe group, and no campaign, brand, or employer can afford to treat us as such.”
