United States LGBTQ+ Identification Reaches 9.3% in 2024

A Marked Increase in LGBTQ+ Identification

According to the latest Gallup survey, 9.3% of American adults identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community in 2024. This increase represents a rise of over one percentage point compared to 2023. Since 2012, when this survey was first conducted, this rate has nearly tripled, climbing from 3.5% to its current level.

Younger Generations Leading LGBTQ+ Identification

The rise is particularly noticeable among younger generations. More than one-fifth of Generation Z adults (born between 1997 and 2006, aged 18 to 27 in 2024) identify as LGBTQ+. In comparison, identification rates progressively decline among older generations, reaching only 1.8% among Americans born before 1946.

Between 2020 and 2022, 18.8% of Generation Z adults reported belonging to this community. This figure has increased to 22.7% over the past two years. Among millennials (born between 1981 and 1996), the increase has been more moderate, with rates rising from 10.3% to 12.0%, while Generation X (1965–1980) saw their rate rise from 3.8% to 4.8%. Baby boomers and members of the Silent Generation recorded no significant changes.

A Majority of Bisexuals Among LGBTQ+ Individuals

Gallup’s data, based on over 14,000 telephone interviews conducted in 2024, shows that 85.7% of adults identify as heterosexual. Among those who identify otherwise:

• 5.2% identify as bisexual,
• 2% as gay,
• 1.4% as lesbian,
• 1.3% as transgender,
• Less than 1% adopt other identities, such as pansexual, asexual, or queer.

Among the approximately 900 LGBTQ+ adults surveyed, 56% identify as bisexual, making it the most common identity. In comparison, 21% identify as gay, 15% as lesbian, 14% as transgender, and 6% claim other identities. These figures exceed 100% because some respondents identify with multiple categories.

Stronger Identification Among Young Women and Progressive Groups

Younger generations not only show higher rates of LGBTQ+ identification, but women are more likely than men to identify as LGBTQ+ (10% vs. 6%). This difference is mainly due to a higher proportion of bisexual women. Among Generation Z, 31% of women identify as LGBTQ+, compared to 12% of men. This gap is also present among millennials (18% of women vs. 9% of men).

Political and ideological trends also influence these figures:

• 14% of Democrats and 11% of Independents identify as LGBTQ+, compared to 3% of Republicans.
• 21% of liberals identify as LGBTQ+, versus 8% of moderates and only 3% of conservatives.

The Influence of Environment and Socioeconomic Factors

Urban areas show higher rates of identification (11%) than rural areas (7%). In contrast, education level seems to have little influence: 9% of college graduates and 10% of non-graduates identify as LGBTQ+.

Differences also appear based on ethnicity, income, or marital status. These gaps partly reflect age-related variations, as younger adults are generally less likely to be married, have children, earn high incomes, or be affiliated with a religion—factors often associated with lower LGBTQ+ identification rates.

A Rising Trend Likely to Continue

Since Gallup began tracking this data, LGBTQ+ identification has nearly tripled in the United States. This growth is largely driven by the increasing number of young adults, particularly young women, who identify as bisexual. The trend is expected to continue in the coming years, fueled by generational shifts and growing social acceptance of diverse sexual and gender identities.