There are more out LGBTQ+ identifying Americans today than ever, and they aren’t going anywhere. According to a 2024 Gallup poll, a record 9.3% of U.S. adults now identify as LGBTQ+, an increase from just 3.5% in 2012, revealing that more Americans than ever are openly identifying as LGBTQ+.
Unsurprisingly, a large portion of queer identifying people in the U.S. population are Gen Z adults. Over 20% of this group identifies as LGBTQ+ with millennials following closely behind at around 12%.
The survey asks respondents to indicate whether they are straight/heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or something else. Gallup indicates that around 85.7% say they are straight, 5.2% are bisexual, 2.0% are gay, 1.4% are lesbian and 1.3% are transgender, with just under 1% referencing another LGBTQ+ identity like pansexual, asexual, or queer.
Various factors contribute to Gallup’s results. Urban and suburban areas continue to show higher rates of LGBTQ+ identification compared to rural regions. College graduates and non-graduates are equally likely to identify as LGBTQ+.
Gallup also indicates that in the 12 years they have been surveying the public, LGBTQ+ identification has nearly tripled.
