Record Breaking: LGBTQ+ Adults Now 12% of Population; Greater than 10% in 40 of 50 States

Read more at HRC.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation today released updated population estimates showing that a record-high 12% of U.S. adults – roughly 25.6 million people – identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender diverse. The analysis, drawn from more than 2.4 million responses to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey collected between 2021 and 2024, is one of the most comprehensive looks at the LGBTQ+ population to date. The Household Pulse Survey is one of the last major federal data sources to include a gender identity measure before the Trump Administration removed sexual orientation and gender identity questions from roughly 360 federal data collections. 

Key Data Points: 

• 40: Number of states with an LGBTQ+ population of greater than 10% (plus the District of Columbia). 
  • That includes electoral battleground states such as Arizona (13.34%), Georgia (11.46%) Michigan (10.95%), New Hampshire (11.88%), North Carolina (10.56%), Ohio (11.29%), Pennsylvania (11.14%), and Texas (12.54%), 
• 25.6 million: Number of U.S. adults who identify as LGBTQ+ 
• 12%: Percentage of adult population who identify as LGBTQ+
• More than half of all LGBTQ+ adults (53.8%) are between 18 and 34 – a signal of sustained, long-term growth in political and economic power as this generation ages into peak spending and voting years. 
  • Other recent studies show that nearly 30% of the adult Gen Z population identifies as LGBTQ+.
• Growing diversity across the community: Hispanic adults make up a larger share of the LGBTQ+ population (18%) than of non-LGBTQ+ adults (13%); Black adults make up a smaller share, about 9%, compared to 12%, reinforcing that LGBTQ+ identity cuts across every racial and ethnic community. 
• Bisexual+ people are the largest group at over 7% of all U.S. adults. 

Why It Matters: 

HRCF’s estimate is notably higher than Gallup’s most recent 9% figure, a gap that researchers attribute to differences in survey methods rather than a sudden shift in identification. The new population figures come as midterm 2026 elections ramp up across the nation and LGBTQ+ people are a deciding voting bloc for many tight races that will determine control of Congress. At the same time, federal agencies have stripped sexual orientation and gender identity questions from hundreds of data sets. This is a disturbing Trump Administration trend meant to erase the LGBTQ+ community from the statistics that shape public policy, community resource development, corporate strategy, and campaign outreach.

“Reliable data are essential for understanding who lives in this country and what our communities need to thrive. Removing sexual orientation and gender identity questions from surveys like the one used for this analysis introduces significant gaps in this understanding. These findings show that LGBTQ+ people are a substantial and growing segment of the population, underscoring the need for our continued inclusion in data collection efforts, said HRC Foundation Sr. Director of Research and Education Tari Hanneman.

The economic influence of the LGBTQ+ community continues to grow at a time when diversity and inclusion initiatives are under federal attack. A recent HRCF consumer report showed LGBTQ+ consumers wield over $1.4 trillion in spending power, with 7 in 10 already putting it behind companies that invest in inclusive policies and practices that lead to stronger consumer trust, market share growth, and better talent retention.