Most Gay-Friendly Cities in U.S.

NerdWallet has posted a list of the most gay-friendly cities in U.S. based on three requirements: 

• The city have municipal laws supporting gay residents. 
• The existence of a LGBT community and peer support. 
• The community is safe and tolerant towards gays. 

After analyzing 88 American cities, the Top 5 are:

1

Palm Springs (CA)

Palm Springs is known as a hotspot for gay tourism, but the city has a thriving year-round LGBT culture for residents as well. A whopping 8.6% of households consist of same-sex partners. The city’s yearly Pride festival is one of the community’s most popular events, and that two-day festival celebrates the gay rights movement’s history of activism.

Palm Springs Pride Festival, since 1969

Palm Springs White Party

Palm Springs Rodeo

http://www.visitgaypalmsprings.com/

2

San Francisco (CA)

Known for its diversity and tolerance, the Bay Area is home to a large gay population and a thriving gay culture. San Francisco’s historic Castro District has a strong history in the gay rights movement, and the area maintains several historical landmarks, such as the Castro Theater and Harvey Milk Square, a tribute to the influential activist and hate crime victim. 

San Francisco Pride Parade, since 1970

San Francisco’s historic Castro District

The big gay club scene of San Francisco

http://www.sanfrancisco.travel/lgbt/

3

Seattle (WA)

Seattle’s LGBT hub, Capitol Hill, is the center of the city’s gay culture, housing many gay bars and businesses. In Seattle, gay marriage is legal, and the city has experience rapid growth in the population of LGBT families. Organizations like Families Like Ours help Washington couples adopt and foster children.

Seattle Pride Parade, since 1974

The Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, since 1996

Stonewall F.C., Seattle’s premier gay men’s soccer team

http://www.seattlegayscene.com/

4

Long Beach (CA)

Businesspeople will find ample support with the Long Beach Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, which offers networking events and collaborative communities. Additionally, the Long Beach Pride Parade is an incredibly popular community event, attracting 80,000 participants each year.

Long Beach Pride Parade, 30 years proud

http://www.lbcbn.com/

5

Cambridge (MA)

The People’s Republic of Cambridge has zero sexual orientation-related hate crimes in 2011, making this a safe and tolerant area for gay residents. Cambridge is also the residence of gay rights activist and Senator Elizabeth Warren, and the state was the first to legalize same-sex marriage.

Marcia and Tanya, the first gay marriage in U.S.,
at Cambridge City Hall, on May 17, 2004

Cambridge GLBT Comission, stablished in 2005

Cambridge men's group, founded in 2007

http://www.cambridgema.gov/glbt.aspx

For checking the overall score and more information, head over to NerdWallet post.