2021’s Best Cities for LGBTQ Singles

Group of friends attending a gay pride event, while holding a pride flag above their heads

Looking to celebrate Pride Month with someone special? It helps to know which U.S. cities are most welcoming of the LGBTQ community — and maximize your chance of dating success.

LawnStarter took away the guesswork by ranking the 200 biggest U.S. cities on 17 key indicators of LGBTQ lifestyle- and dating-friendliness.

What makes the best city for LGBTQ singles? A big unhitched population and LGBTQ community, as well as LGBTQ-friendly housing and services are among the most important factors. For a well-rounded perspective, we also looked into each city’s progress toward equality and access to support organizations.

Check out our ranking below, followed by some highlights and lowlights.

City Rankings
Highlights and Lowlights
Methodology
Why This Study Matters

City Rankings

See how each city fared in our ranking:

OVERALL RANK	City	Overall Score	Eligible Population Rank	Community Support Rank	Equality Progress Rank	Pride-Readiness Rank	Safety Rank
1	San Francisco, CA	74.36	64	2	2	6	87
2	Washington, DC	69.32	11	1	1	10	100
3	Boston, MA	66.91	20	6	3	31	93
4	Minneapolis, MN	64.62	32	7	44	42	83
5	Portland, OR	64.18	71	10	11	53	75
6	Seattle, WA	62.78	68	4	21	21	99
7	Rochester, NY	62.49	2	23	18	87	44
8	Long Beach, CA	62.44	59	27	4	12	67
9	Denver, CO	61.97	60	12	15	23	89
10	New York, NY	61.69	85	54	7	4	65
11	Los Angeles, CA	61.02	63	47	8	8	84
12	Chicago, IL	60.97	35	37	32	9	53
13	Oakland, CA	60.90	55	20	6	70	71
14	Tacoma, WA	59.52	88	17	34	45	1
15	Providence, RI	59.00	21	15	86	17	47
16	Sacramento, CA	58.82	84	33	8	48	49
17	San Diego, CA	58.10	117	44	4	24	62
18	Worcester, MA	57.78	28	51	10	80	85
19	Las Vegas, NV	57.53	110	58	44	7	40
20	Jersey City, NJ	57.29	118	43	16	27	43
21	Pasadena, CA	57.25	114	34	22	59	1
22	Pittsburgh, PA	56.57	18	5	99	14	68
23	Eugene, OR	56.31	53	55	16	46	81
24	Syracuse, NY	55.69	6	83	53	29	1
25	Buffalo, NY	54.82	13	91	28	97	1
26	Reno, NV	54.07	98	72	31	37	1
27	Fort Lauderdale, FL	53.35	43	3	124	1	146
28	Pomona, CA	52.99	79	71	49	51	57
29	Baltimore, MD	52.82	7	40	87	68	1
30	Spokane, WA	52.71	89	53	78	43	77
31	Santa Rosa, CA	52.55	119	75	39	39	69
32	Newark, NJ	52.51	25	77	76	118	1
33	Fort Collins, CO	52.49	62	95	27	90	50
34	Springfield, MA	52.42	24	97	40	156	56
35	San Jose, CA	52.30	173	65	20	88	72
36	Hayward, CA	52.11	141	63	35	122	1
37	Yonkers, NY	51.86	107	100	19	106	46
38	Orange, CA	51.74	147	61	50	107	1
39	Oceanside, CA	50.73	162	127	12	25	86
40	St. Paul, MN	50.55	54	103	42	167	55
41	Riverside, CA	50.45	83	147	13	124	74
42	Bridgeport, CT	50.27	29	76	82	160	61
43	Rockford, IL	50.23	72	84	59	98	78
44	Richmond, VA	50.08	8	14	93	74	94
45	Salem, OR	50.06	122	108	30	125	48
46	Paradise, NV	49.50	49	121	47	22	1
47	Paterson, NJ	49.45	42	113	67	184	1
48	Modesto, CA	49.24	142	92	61	91	1
49	Irvine, CA	48.12	175	126	22	164	59
50	Henderson, NV	48.04	170	86	55	155	41
51	Aurora, CO	48.00	137	112	56	159	1
52	Santa Ana, CA	47.98	123	120	60	104	51
53	Fresno, CA	47.89	75	119	72	143	64
54	Bellevue, WA	47.73	196	82	26	151	76
55	Vancouver, WA	47.63	138	88	71	139	80
56	Colorado Springs, CO	47.54	160	102	73	72	66
57	Sunnyvale, CA	47.50	194	104	25	148	1
58	Lancaster, CA	47.44	94	171	41	191	52
59	Chula Vista, CA	47.41	169	192	14	103	1
60	Huntington Beach, CA	47.12	155	116	64	121	45
61	Fullerton, CA	47.10	148	160	35	144	63
62	Stockton, CA	47.07	105	169	50	191	42
63	Honolulu, HI	46.83	127	59	85	32	95
64	Torrance, CA	46.75	188	90	68	123	60
65	Bakersfield, CA	46.70	151	122	68	136	39
66	Escondido, CA	46.64	144	136	61	153	1
67	Albuquerque, NM	46.28	70	78	83	73	96
68	Madison, WI	46.27	36	22	96	83	70
69	Santa Clarita, CA	46.26	186	137	46	189	1
70	Oxnard, CA	46.25	108	176	68	134	1
71	Salinas, CA	46.18	111	170	57	186	54
72	Aurora, IL	46.02	167	140	58	191	1
73	Fontana, CA	46.01	151	149	64	191	1
74	Ontario, CA	45.97	129	151	77	176	1
75	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	45.93	168	158	54	188	1
76	San Bernardino, CA	45.73	51	180	74	172	82
77	Anaheim, CA	45.69	143	173	29	69	1
78	Enterprise, NV	45.51	158	96	47	191	1
79	Palmdale, CA	45.34	136	198	43	149	1
80	Moreno Valley, CA	45.27	126	187	61	191	1
81	Orlando, FL	45.08	45	9	117	3	151
82	Glendale, CA	44.99	165	99	52	127	1
83	Philadelphia, PA	44.98	23	41	98	58	38
83	Lakewood, CO	44.98	112	93	80	145	1
85	Garden Grove, CA	44.74	154	157	74	191	73
86	Milwaukee, WI	44.69	12	49	100	47	1
87	Elk Grove, CA	44.68	190	188	33	187	1
88	North Las Vegas, NV	44.01	121	162	84	154	1
89	Fremont, CA	43.93	198	186	24	191	1
90	Joliet, IL	43.93	130	193	81	108	58
91	Sunrise Manor, NV	43.65	67	182	37	19	1
92	Alexandria, VA	43.30	115	30	92	94	97
93	Atlanta, GA	42.66	4	8	148	11	100
94	Arlington, VA	42.60	113	25	91	26	100
95	Naperville, IL	42.41	197	70	79	191	1
96	Norfolk, VA	42.30	40	56	94	56	90
97	Grand Rapids, MI	40.95	38	31	111	86	1
98	Spring Valley, NV	40.47	96	159	37	191	1
99	Thornton, CO	40.40	184	111	88	170	79
100	Corona, CA	40.33	172	190	64	174	1
101	Detroit, MI	39.92	1	68	102	93	88
102	Salt Lake City, UT	39.26	82	11	119	28	100
103	Des Moines, IA	38.74	65	38	89	55	171
104	New Orleans, LA	38.55	14	26	152	2	158
105	St. Louis, MO	37.91	19	18	110	78	150
106	Cleveland, OH	37.78	3	21	115	38	170
107	Cincinnati, OH	37.55	10	29	107	30	166
108	Tampa, FL	35.52	58	24	121	33	100
109	Kansas City, MO	35.33	66	16	125	95	134
110	St. Petersburg, FL	34.82	61	13	123	20	171
111	Columbus, OH	34.70	39	32	113	40	169
112	Austin, TX	34.68	76	19	133	18	131
113	Newport News, VA	34.58	93	133	95	81	98
114	Tucson, AZ	33.82	37	42	114	44	156
115	Virginia Beach, VA	33.81	181	185	90	126	90
116	Miami, FL	33.75	47	50	139	5	100
117	Akron, OH	32.83	30	89	118	13	100
118	Phoenix, AZ	32.70	91	39	108	49	168
119	Dayton, OH	32.33	5	74	116	92	155
120	Tempe, AZ	32.18	15	80	108	105	100
121	Indianapolis, IN	31.48	46	73	105	71	136
122	Dallas, TX	30.99	86	35	149	16	162
123	Louisville, KY	30.71	92	48	126	79	135
124	Anchorage, AK	30.14	156	57	103	82	154
125	Durham, NC	30.12	73	36	143	60	100
126	Chesapeake, VA	29.86	185	172	97	166	90
127	Nashville, TN	29.86	78	45	140	34	127
128	Springfield, MO	29.59	50	28	153	120	148
129	Lexington, KY	28.71	99	69	128	41	149
130	Charlotte, NC	28.29	104	46	147	64	126
131	Toledo, OH	27.82	31	131	122	114	157
132	Raleigh, NC	27.64	81	52	144	99	163
133	San Antonio, TX	27.02	87	66	149	50	130
134	Birmingham, AL	27.02	17	94	154	62	138
135	Greensboro, NC	26.86	57	81	132	130	100
136	Boise, ID	26.26	133	144	104	85	160
137	Knoxville, TN	26.08	34	67	157	115	164
138	Scottsdale, AZ	26.02	161	130	129	15	133
139	Wichita, KS	25.88	134	134	120	67	143
140	Houston, TX	24.79	97	64	165	66	142
141	Tallahassee, FL	24.60	9	114	127	89	171
142	Memphis, TN	24.37	27	105	166	77	128
143	Glendale, AZ	24.33	90	117	131	141	100
144	Kansas City, KS	24.13	103	85	112	110	171
145	Jacksonville, FL	23.99	102	123	136	102	100
146	Tulsa, OK	23.85	100	87	146	135	140
147	Hollywood, FL	23.37	101	60	134	84	171
148	Fort Wayne, IN	22.90	116	124	138	132	132
149	Savannah, GA	22.61	26	62	170	52	171
150	Baton Rouge, LA	21.71	16	101	183	76	137
151	Oklahoma City, OK	21.57	140	124	161	54	100
152	Mesa, AZ	21.52	150	150	137	137	129
153	Fort Worth, TX	21.44	145	146	151	96	147
154	Omaha, NE	20.90	131	106	169	109	100
155	Little Rock, AR	20.58	69	109	141	65	171
156	Gilbert, AZ	20.55	191	156	130	131	100
157	Cape Coral, FL	20.38	182	128	162	36	144
158	Corpus Christi, TX	20.27	135	107	176	35	100
159	Overland Park, KS	20.05	189	163	101	168	171
160	Jackson, MS	19.90	22	115	163	100	171
161	Lincoln, NE	19.77	120	142	160	182	153
162	Winston-Salem, NC	19.30	77	98	155	113	171
163	Fayetteville, NC	19.27	95	168	164	138	161
164	Chattanooga, TN	19.24	52	79	167	116	171
165	Sioux Falls, SD	19.23	157	145	158	128	165
166	Mobile, AL	18.79	41	110	196	61	145
167	Olathe, KS	18.49	193	138	106	133	171
168	Pasadena, TX	18.43	159	189	156	162	100
169	Port St. Lucie, FL	18.39	177	152	159	146	141
170	Columbus, GA	18.12	74	165	174	178	100
171	Arlington, TX	17.68	132	161	173	152	139
172	El Paso, TX	17.35	139	174	175	101	100
173	Lubbock, TX	16.68	80	132	187	147	159
174	Shreveport, LA	16.33	44	153	171	111	171
175	Pembroke Pines, FL	16.11	153	143	142	158	171
176	Peoria, AZ	15.18	187	129	145	140	171
177	Chandler, AZ	14.92	180	177	135	142	171
178	Miramar, FL	14.79	109	196	177	171	167
179	Murfreesboro, TN	14.62	106	194	179	181	152
180	Augusta, GA	13.83	33	135	190	75	171
181	Amarillo, TX	13.35	176	175	189	129	100
182	Mesquite, TX	13.25	128	199	185	183	100
183	Montgomery, AL	12.59	48	148	183	161	171
184	Garland, TX	12.48	166	181	194	180	100
185	Cary, NC	12.37	199	167	180	174	100
186	Laredo, TX	12.17	149	179	199	190	100
187	Hialeah, FL	11.64	125	195	168	179	171
188	McKinney, TX	11.54	195	183	187	150	100
189	Plano, TX	11.36	192	139	172	157	171
190	Metairie, LA	10.72	146	118	193	119	171
191	Irving, TX	10.31	163	141	181	173	171
192	Clarksville, TN	10.20	178	155	178	185	171
193	Frisco, TX	10.01	200	166	197	165	100
194	Huntsville, AL	9.91	124	154	195	112	171
195	McAllen, TX	9.84	164	164	191	63	171
196	Macon, GA	8.60	56	184	200	162	171
197	Grand Prairie, TX	8.19	171	178	186	169	171
198	Killeen, TX	7.15	183	191	191	117	171
199	Brownsville, TX	7.08	174	197	182	177	171
200	Midland, TX	6.12	179	200	197	57	171

Infographic explaining highest and lowest scores of Cities, for various LGBTQ-related studies

Highlights and Lowlights

San Francisco: The LGBTQ Capital of America

A number of gay meccas dot the U.S. map, but none holds a candle to San Francisco as the Best City for LGBTQ Singles.

This Golden Gate city’s stellar performance across equality metrics would make Harvey Milk proud. San Francisco places second in both the Municipal Equality Index (just behind Madison, Wisconsin) and access to LGBTQ-friendly health providers. It also ties with multiple cities for first place in three out of five anti-discrimination metrics.

Where San Francisco needs the most work: hate crimes based on gender and sexual orientation, where it sits at 155th place. But there’s a silver lining: The increase in hate-crime figures in San Francisco over the years may be partly due to better reporting by victims.

The Ones That Got Away

While some U.S. metros are widely considered to be gay cities, a few failed to make our top 10 — but just barely: Los Angeles lands at No. 11, followed by Chicago at No. 12 and Providence, Rhode Island, at No. 15. Farther down the ranking are Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 27th place, Philadelphia in 83rd, New Orleans in 104th, and Austin, Texas, at 112th.

What accounts for their poorer showing? While these cities have more available singles, they tend to rank lower in the Equality Progress category — except for Los Angeles, which sits comfortably in eighth place. Providence clocks in at No. 86 in the Equality Progress category and Philadelphia at 98, while Austin and New Orleans land at 133rd and 152nd, respectively.

Where these cities shine is in Pride-readiness. Apart from Philadelphia at No. 58, all of these cities are in the top 20 for this metric, including Fort Lauderdale in first place. Come here to show your pride, but these cities aren’t the most progressive for LGBTQ equality.

Texas: The (A)lone Star State

If you’re looking for LGBTQ love in Texas, you might hit a dead end: Austin is tops in Texas, at No. 112. Its strong position at No. 19 for Community Support and No. 18 for Pride-readiness helped this state capital speed past other Texas cities.

What’s hurting the rest of Texas? Pretty much every category — except for Pride-readiness — includes at least a few Texas cities. For example, Frisco comes in dead last in Eligible Population, while Laredo manages to avoid being the worst in Equality Progress by one place. Midland takes the last spot in both Community Support and Safety.

Texas is clearly ready for Pride, but it has a lot of work to do to make its LGBTQ population feel at home.

Methodology

We ranked the 200 largest U.S. cities from best (No. 1) to worst (No. 200) based on their overall scores (out of 100 possible points), averaged across all the weighted metrics listed below.

Metric	Weighting	Min. Value	Max. Value	Best
Eligible Population
Share of Single Population	3	35.14%	74.47%	Max. Value
Community Support
Same-Sex Households per 1,000 Households	3	0	14.73	Max. Value
LGBTQ Support Centers per 100,000 Residents	2	0	2.32	Max. Value
LGBTQ Nonprofits and Charities per 100,000 Residents	2	0	4.48	Max. Value
Metropolitan Community and Universalist Churches per 100,000 Residents	1	0	5.57	Max. Value
LGBTQ-Friendly Health Providers per 100,000 Residents	2	0	14.77	Max. Value
Presence of LGBTQ Chambers of Commerce	1	0	1	Max. Value
Equality Progress
Municipal Equality Index Score	3	0	118	Max. Value
Relationship and Parental Recognition	2	1.5	6.5	Max. Value
Level of State Facilitation with Updating Gender on Identity Documents	2	0	2	Max. Value
Presence of State Anti-Discrimination Protections for Students	2	0	2	Max. Value
Presence of LGBTQ-Friendly Housing Laws	2	0	2	Max. Value
Pride-Readiness
Number of Pride Events	2	0	8	Max. Value
Gay Bars and Clubs per 100,000 Residents	2	0	8.88	Max. Value
LGBTQ-Friendly Accommodations per 100,000 Residents	1	0	117.14	Max. Value
Safety
Sexual Orientation- and Gender-Related Hate Crimes per 100,000 Residents	2	0	12.33	Min. Value
Strength of Transgender Health and Safety Laws	2	0	2	Max. Value

Limitations: Washington, D.C., did not rank for the Municipal Equality Index (MEI) Score due to lack of available data. According to the Human Rights Campaign, which produces the Index, Washington, D.C., was not included in the MEI because it is a federal district. “This means that it has powers and limitations so significantly different from the municipalities the MEI rates that the comparison would be unfair — for example, no city rated by the MEI has the legal capacity to pass marriage equality, as Washington, D.C., did in 2009. While the District of Columbia is not a state, either, it is more properly compared to a state than it is to a city.”

Sources: CenterLink, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Gay Pride Calendar, GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality, GreatNonprofits, Human Rights Campaign, Metropolitan Community Churches, misterb&b, Movement Advancement Project, National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Unitarian Universalist Association, and Yelp

Why This Study Matters

Now that everyone is eligible for a vaccine and many Pride events are back on, there’s never been a better time to jump back into the LGBTQ dating scene.

Just don’t expect dating to be all sunshine and rainbows post-pandemic — at least not anytime soon. Many romantic prospects will carry “COVID baggage”: residual fear and anxiety about their pandemic experience.

Plus, the rules of attraction aren’t the same as in pre-COVID times, according to experts. Attitudes and priorities have shifted over the past year. Many gay men, for example, are now more interested in long-term relationships and value personality over more superficial qualities.

So make sure to update your dating playbook (and profile) before you put yourself out there — and celebrate your pride.

Main Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Richie Bernardo

Richie Bernardo is a managing editor who previously wrote about personal finance and immigration. Philippine-born, Kansas City-bred, and barbecue-fed, Richie enjoys baking, deal hunting, and binging “Ancient Aliens.”

Posts by Richie Bernardo