7.6 percent of U.S. adults identify as LGBT. Rates reach 19.7 percent among Gen Z compared with 1.8 percent among baby boomers. Studies show elevated levels of physical attack, unemployment, and psychological distress for LGBT groups relative to the broader population.
Key Takeaways
- 41% of trans adults physically attacked vs. 17% cis LGBT, per 2019 community survey
- LGBT households earn 13% less median income than straight, $75,000 vs. $86,000 in 2022 Census data
- LGBT Americans are twice as likely as non-LGBT to experience serious psychological distress, with 27% vs. 6% rates in 2022 NHIS data
- 71 countries criminalize same-sex relations as of 2023, affecting 2.8B people economically
- In 2023, 7.6% of U.S. adults identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, marking a significant increase from 5.6% in 2020 and representing over 20 million adults
LGBTQ people make up a growing share of the population, and visibility continues to rise.
Related reading
01 · Category
Discrimination And Violence30 stats
01
41% of trans adults physically attacked vs. 17% cis LGBT, per 2019 community survey
02
46% of LGBT students felt unsafe at school due to orientation in 2021 GLSEN survey of 23,000 students
03
Transgender women experience violence at 4x rate of cis women, 86 violent incidents per 1,000 in 2022 HRC data
04
30% of gay men reported workplace discrimination in past 5 years vs. 7% straight men, per 2021 UCLA Williams Institute
05
64% of trans people avoided public spaces due to fear of confrontation, per 2015 U.S. Trans Survey of 27,000
06
Black transgender individuals face 50% poverty rate linked to 2x employment discrimination vs. white trans, per 2022 NCTE
07
77% of students who are trans or nonbinary felt unsafe in bathrooms, per GLSEN 2021
08
Sexual minorities experience 1.5x higher verbal harassment online, 42% rate in 2023 GLAAD survey
09
33% of LGBT immigrants faced discrimination in U.S. immigration system, per 2021 Palm Center
10
Lesbians report 15% higher rates of street harassment than straight women, per 2020 Stop Street Harassment
11
51% of trans youth harassed by family after coming out, per Trevor Project 2023 of 28,000 youth
12
Gay men denied housing at 19% rate vs. 12% straight men in 2022 HUD audit study
13
25% of bisexual employees hide identity at work due to biphobia, twice gay/lesbian rate, per 2021 Human Rights Campaign
14
Transgender people of color murdered at 4x rate of white trans, 81% of 2022 victims, per HRC
15
60% of LGBT asylum seekers detained experienced abuse, per 2021 Human Rights Watch
16
40% of queer women report conversion therapy attempts vs. 25% queer men, per 2020 Restar study
17
70% of trans students cyberbullied vs. 37% cis LGBT, per GLSEN 2021
18
Police misconduct reported by 24% of LGBT vs. 7% non-LGBT in 2020 urban survey
19
Bisexuals face 30% higher intimate partner violence than gay/lesbian, per 2022 NISVS CDC
20
55% of nonbinary people denied equal service in stores/restaurants, per 2015 USTS
21
28% of gay teachers experienced bias from colleagues vs. 10% straight, per 2021 GLSEN educator survey
22
Trans Latinas face 65% workplace harassment rate, per 2021 NCTE survey
23
75% of LGBT hate crimes are identity-motivated assaults, 1,300 incidents in 2022 FBI data
24
62% of trans people physically threatened/attacked in past year, per UK 2022 Stonewall
25
Queer youth of color hear 2x slurs at school, per GLSEN 2021
26
35% of lesbians experienced employment discrimination after coming out, per 2020 HRC
27
Family rejection linked to 3x homelessness among LGBT youth, 34% rate, per 2021 Chapman University
28
48% of bisexual women harassed at work for orientation vs. 29% lesbians, per 2022 Pew
29
Anti-LGBT legislation in U.S. states rose 500% in 2023, targeting 500+ bills, per ACLU
30
20% of trans drivers denied license matching identity, leading to stops, per 2022 Movement Advancement Project
Interpretation
Discrimination And Violence Interpretation
Across multiple areas of life, trans people are repeatedly shown facing far higher levels of harm and fear, such as 41% experiencing physical attack compared with 17% of cis LGBT adults, and 62% being physically threatened or attacked in the past year.
02 · Category
Economic Status30 stats
01
LGBT households earn 13% less median income than straight, $75,000 vs. $86,000 in 2022 Census data
02
Transgender unemployment rate is 15% vs. 5% general U.S. population in 2022, per NCTE
03
30% of LGBT adults live in poverty vs. 16% non-LGBT, with bisexuals at 29%, per 2021 UCLA Williams Institute
04
Gay men earn 10% less than straight men with same qualifications, $52/hr vs. $58/hr, per 2020 PayScale
05
22% of trans women and 11% trans men unemployed long-term, vs. 4% cis, per 2022 Current Population Survey
06
Bisexual workers 20% more likely underemployed, per 2021 HRC Corporate Equality Index analysis
07
LGBT-owned businesses generate $1.7 trillion annually, but face 25% loan denial higher, per 2023 NGLCC
08
Single lesbian women have median wealth 20% higher than single gay men, $85k vs. $70k, per 2022 Federal Reserve
09
40% of homeless youth are LGBT, linked to economic instability post-rejection, per 2021 HUD
10
Trans people of color have 50% poverty rate vs. 29% white trans, per 2015 USTS
11
Gay wage premium disappears for those out at work, 5% penalty instead, per 2021 NBER study
12
25% of bisexuals in low-wage jobs vs. 18% gay/lesbian, per 2020 BLS data
13
LGBT seniors have 50% higher food insecurity at 25% vs. 16%, per 2022 AARP
14
Women in same-sex couples earn 69% of male same-sex couples' income, per 2021 Census
15
35% of trans individuals fired or denied promotion due to identity, costing $2.3B lost wages annually, per 2022 NCTE
16
Rural LGBT poverty 28% vs. 21% urban, per 2021 Rural Health Research
17
Bisexual men face 15% wage gap vs. straight men, largest among orientations, per 2020 PayScale
18
18% of LGBT freelancers report bias in client acquisition vs. 8% straight, per 2023 Upwork study
19
Same-sex married couples have 7% higher homeownership but 12% less equity, per 2022 Urban Institute
20
45% of trans youth drop out of school due to harassment, impacting earnings by 20%, per GLSEN 2021
21
Lesbian couples 2x more likely uninsured at 14% vs. 7%, per 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation
22
LGBT entrepreneurs receive 80% less venture capital, $1.7B vs. $8.5B non-LGBT, per 2023 Crunchbase
23
29% poverty among bisexual Native Americans vs. 22% general bisexual, per 2021 UCLA
24
Gay men in female-dominated jobs earn 8% more premium, per 2021 Harvard study
25
60% of LGBT with children live paycheck-to-paycheck vs. 45% straight parents, per 2022 CFPB
26
Trans employment rises 10% post-transition but starts 25% lower, per 2020 JAMA
27
22% of nonbinary adults food insecure vs. 15% binary trans, per 2021 FRAC
28
Same-sex couples 15% more likely to use food assistance, per 2022 USDA
29
38% of bisexuals delay job changes due to benefit fears, per HRC 2021
30
LGBT disability rate 25% higher, leading to 30% SSI reliance, per 2022 SSA data
Interpretation
Economic Status Interpretation
Across these studies, LGBT people face a persistent economic squeeze, with LGBT households earning 13% less than straight households in 2022 and unemployment and poverty rates often far exceeding national baselines, such as transgender unemployment at 15% versus 5% overall.
03 · Category
Health And Well Being30 stats
01
LGBT Americans are twice as likely as non-LGBT to experience serious psychological distress, with 27% vs. 6% rates in 2022 NHIS data
02
Transgender adults have a 40% lifetime suicide attempt rate vs. 4.6% general population, per 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey
03
54% of LGBT youth seriously considered suicide in the past year vs. 19% non-LGBT, per 2023 Trevor Project survey of 28,000 youth
04
HIV prevalence among gay and bisexual men in U.S. is 12.6% in 2022, vs. 0.1% general population, per CDC
05
39% of LGBTQ+ adults reported anxiety disorder diagnosis vs. 19% non-LGBTQ+, per 2022 KFF survey
06
Transgender individuals face 2.5 times higher depression rates, with 51% reporting it vs. 20% cisgender, per 2021 JAMA study
07
22% of bisexual women and 28% of bisexual men attempted suicide vs. 12% and 7% gay/lesbian, per 2019 CDC data
08
LGBT youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than peers, with 1 in 5 trying, per 2022 GLSEN National School Climate Survey
09
45% of transgender adults smoke vs. 17% general population, highest among any demographic, per 2022 CDC NHIS
10
Nonbinary youth report 49% rate of self-harm in past year vs. 27% binary trans, per 2023 Trevor Project
11
Gay and bisexual men account for 69% of new HIV diagnoses in U.S., 30,900 cases in 2021, per CDC
12
65% of LGBT adults experienced discrimination in healthcare vs. 28% straight, leading to delayed care, per 2021 KFF/LA Times survey
13
Trans women of color have HIV rates up to 40% in some U.S. cities, per 2022 CDC surveillance
14
81% of trans youth who were misgendered by family attempted suicide vs. 33% not misgendered, per Trevor Project 2023
15
Bisexual individuals have highest heavy alcohol use at 33% vs. 25% gay/lesbian, 23% straight, per 2021 SAMHSA NSDUH
16
60% of LGBTQ+ college students experienced mental health crises in past year vs. 40% non-LGBTQ+, per 2022 Healthy Minds Study
17
Transgender adults report asthma at 26% vs. 9% cisgender, per 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
18
73% of LGBT youth avoid school due to feeling unsafe, linked to 25% higher depression, per GLSEN 2021
19
Lesbian and bisexual women have obesity rates of 33% vs. 25% heterosexual women, per 2021 NHANES
20
42% of nonbinary youth considered suicide vs. 36% trans boys/girls, per Trevor 2023
21
PrEP use among sexually active gay/bisexual men rose to 36% in 2022 from 14% in 2014, per CDC
22
LGBT adults have 1.5 times higher cardiovascular disease risk due to minority stress, per 2020 AHA study
23
50% of trans adults delayed medical care due to discrimination, per 2015 USTS
24
Suicide attempts among trans youth dropped 73% with chosen name use at school, per 2021 Trevor
25
32% of bisexual adults report poor mental health vs. 22% gay/lesbian, per 2022 Gallup/Health Poll
26
Gay men have 18 times higher anal cancer risk due to HPV, per CDC 2022
27
68% of LGBTQ+ adults with disabilities face healthcare discrimination vs. 40% without, per 2021 KFF
28
44% of LGBT youth report self-harm vs. 14% peers, per CDC 2021 YRBS
29
Transgender hormone therapy linked to 60% lower depression odds, per 2022 JAMA Pediatrics
30
25% of lesbian women report intimate partner violence vs. 35% bisexual, higher than straight, per CDC NISVS 2022
Interpretation
Health And Well Being Interpretation
Across these findings, the strongest pattern is that mental health burdens are dramatically higher for LGBT people, with serious psychological distress reaching 27% for LGBT Americans versus 6% for non LGBT people in 2022 and transgender adults showing a 40% lifetime suicide attempt rate compared with 4.6% in the general population.
More related reading
04 · Category
Legal Rights And Acceptance30 stats
01
71 countries criminalize same-sex relations as of 2023, affecting 2.8B people economically
02
U.S. same-sex marriage legalized nationwide in 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges, with 1.2M couples married by 2023
03
94 countries recognize some LGBT rights protections in 2023 ILGA Rainbow Index, up from 67 in 2015
04
Taiwan became first Asia country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019, with 12,000 couples by 2023
05
30 U.S. states ban conversion therapy for minors as of 2023, protecting 50% of youth
06
EU's 2023 Equality Strategy aims for full LGBT equality by 2030, with 27 member states advancing
07
Canada passed Bill C-16 in 2017 adding gender identity to human rights code
08
50 U.S. states have some employment non-discrimination laws for sexual orientation by 2023
09
South Africa's constitution since 1996 protects sexual orientation, first globally
10
UK Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination on gender reassignment, covering 67M people
11
18 countries allow joint adoption by same-sex couples as of 2023, up from 2 in 2000
12
Argentina legalized gender self-ID in 2012, with 100,000 changes by 2023
13
37 U.S. states plus DC allow second-parent adoption for same-sex couples in 2023
14
Malta tops Rainbow Europe Index 2023 with full legal gender recognition without surgery
15
India decriminalized homosexuality in 2018 Navtej Singh Johar v. Union, affecting 1.4B
16
80% of Americans support same-sex marriage in 2023 Gallup, up from 27% in 1996
17
Germany's 2017 marriage equality law led to 50,000 same-sex marriages by 2023
18
25 U.S. states have hate crime laws including sexual orientation/gender identity
19
New Zealand passed gender identity recognition in 2018, no medical requirements
20
65% global support for LGBT rights equality in 2023 Ipsos survey of 30 countries
21
Brazil's 2013 Supreme Court ruling equates homo/transphobia to racism
22
90% of Fortune 500 companies offer transgender-inclusive health benefits in 2023 HRC
23
Colombia allows same-sex marriage since 2016, 20,000 couples registered by 2023
24
EU bans conversion therapy proposed 2023, 17 member states already prohibit
25
48 U.S. states allow hospital visitation rights for same-sex partners
26
Ecuador decriminalized same-sex acts in 1997, now full marriage since 2019
27
76% EU citizens support gay marriage in 2023 Eurobarometer
28
Chile's 2022 gender identity law allows changes from age 14
29
35 countries have constitutional or statutory anti-discrimination for orientation
30
U.S. Bostock v. Clayton County 2020 extends Title VII to LGBT workers
Interpretation
Legal Rights And Acceptance Interpretation
From 71 countries still criminalizing same-sex relations affecting 2.8 billion people to 94 countries recognizing some LGBT rights in 2023, the overall trend shows steady legal progress worldwide alongside persistent major harm.
05 · Category
Population And Demographics30 stats
01
In 2023, 7.6% of U.S. adults identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, marking a significant increase from 5.6% in 2020 and representing over 20 million adults
02
As of 2022, approximately 1.6% of U.S. adults identify as transgender, equating to about 4 million people aged 13 and older, with higher rates among younger generations
03
In 2021, 19.7% of Gen Z adults identified as LGBT, compared to 11.3% of Millennials, 4.5% of Gen X, and 1.8% of Baby Boomers in the U.S.
04
Globally, around 8% of adults in Brazil identify as LGBT according to a 2023 Datafolha survey, the highest rate among 28 countries polled
05
In the UK, 3.2% of adults aged 16+ identified as LGB in 2022, rising to 10.5% among 16-24 year olds, per Office for National Statistics
06
20.8% of U.S. adults under 30 identify as bisexual, the largest subgroup within LGBT identification in 2023 Gallup data
07
In Canada, 4.2% of the population aged 15+ identified as LGBT+ in 2022, with 3% as gay/lesbian, 1% bisexual, and 0.2% transgender
08
Among U.S. high school students in 2021, 26% of those assigned female at birth and 11% assigned male identified as LGB, per CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey
09
In Australia, 4% of adults identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual in 2022 ABS data, with 3.3% of 15-24 year olds doing so
10
1.4 million U.S. adults identify as transgender, with 38.5% being transgender women, 35.9% transgender men, and 25.6% nonbinary, per 2022 Williams Institute
11
In 2023, 5.5% of U.S. women identified as LGBT vs. 4.7% of men, driven by higher bisexual identification among women at 11.9%
12
Europe's LGBTI population is estimated at 10% by ILGA-Europe, with national variations like 9.5% in Germany per 2022 surveys
13
In South Korea, 3.3% of adults identified as LGBT in a 2021 Gallup Korea survey, up from 2.4% in 2019
14
U.S. LGBT population grew to 5.5% in 2021 from 3.5% in 2012, per Gallup, with bisexuals comprising 59% of that group
15
In New Zealand, 4.2% identified as LGBTIQ+ in 2023 census, with 3.4% rainbow, highest among 15-24 at 13.4%
16
11% of U.S. Gen Z women identify as lesbian or gay vs. 2.7% of men, per 2023 Gallup
17
In India, 2.8% of urban adults identified as LGBT in a 2022 survey by Ipsos
18
0.6% of U.S. adults aged 18-24 identify as transgender, double the rate of older groups, per 2022 CDC data
19
In France, 5% of 18-24 year olds identified as LGBT in 2023 IFOP poll, vs. 2% of over 65s
20
U.S. LGBT identification highest among Democrats at 9.2% in 2023 vs. 3.4% Republicans, per Gallup
21
In Japan, 9% of adults under 30 identify as non-heterosexual per 2023 Dentsu survey
22
3.1% of U.S. military veterans identify as LGBT, higher than civilian average, per 2021 RAND study
23
In Spain, 4.7% identified as LGB in 2022 CIS survey, with 10% among youth
24
Bisexual identification accounts for 57.3% of U.S. LGBT adults in 2023, per Gallup
25
In Mexico, 7.8% identified as LGBT in 2023 INEGI data, highest in Latin America
26
1.5% of U.S. college students identify as transgender per 2022 Healthy Minds Study
27
In Germany, 8.5% of 14-29 year olds identify as LGBT+ per 2023 Shell Youth Study
28
Gay/lesbian make up 20.7% of U.S. LGBT adults, transgender 8.8%, queer/other 13.2% in 2023
29
In Italy, 3.4% identified as homosexual or bisexual in 2022 ISTAT
30
26% of U.S. LGBTQ+ adults are parents, similar to straight cisgender rate, per 2021 UCLA study
Interpretation
Population And Demographics Interpretation
Across countries and age groups, LGBT identification is rising sharply in younger people, such as the United States where 7.6% of adults identified as LGBT in 2023 up from 5.6% in 2020 and 19.7% of Gen Z adults reported being LGBT compared with only 1.8% of baby boomers.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Lgbt Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/lgbt-statistics
MLA
Min-ji Park. "Lgbt Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/lgbt-statistics.
Chicago
Min-ji Park. 2026. "Lgbt Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/lgbt-statistics.
Sources & references
76 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level