An estimated 1.6 million people ages 13 and older in the United States identify as transgender, about 0.6% of that age group. Gallup data also place transgender identification among U.S. adults ages 18 to 24 at 2%. This article ties those figures to the demographics behind them so the size of the population is clear, not abstract.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. adults 18-24: 2% identify as transgender per Gallup 2023
- 54% of U.S. trans people avoided medical care due to discrimination
- 44% of U.S. transgender adults have attempted suicide
- In the United States, an estimated 1.6 million people ages 13 and older identify as transgender, representing 0.6% of that age group
- 29% of U.S. trans adults unemployed, vs 5% general population
Transgender people face barriers in health and safety, making accurate statistics essential for meaningful progress.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics26 stats
01
U.S. adults 18-24: 2% identify as transgender per Gallup 2023
02
Transgender U.S. population by race: 48% White, 22% Hispanic, 15% Black, 9% Asian, 6% Other per Williams Institute
03
Among U.S. trans adults, 38.5% ages 18-29, 35.9% 30-49, 19.7% 50-64, 5.8% 65+
04
Urban vs rural: 78% of U.S. trans people live in urban areas
05
U.S. trans women: 515,200 estimated, trans men: 480,000, non-binary: 240,000+
06
In UK, 48% of trans people under 25, per 2021 ONS Census
07
U.S. trans by education: 54% some college+, 16% bachelor's+
08
Geographic: California has largest U.S. trans population (218,400)
09
Among U.S. trans youth, 72% assigned female at birth
10
U.S. trans Black population: 23,000 youth
11
Income: 30% of U.S. trans adults earn under $25k/year
12
Marital status: 12% U.S. trans adults married to opposite gender, 17% same gender
13
Parental status: 26% of U.S. trans adults have children under 18
14
U.S. trans Hispanic: 18% of total trans population
15
Age distribution UK trans: 0.1% over 65, vs 0.7% under 21
16
U.S. trans Asian/Pacific Islander: 38,000 adults
17
Disability: 33% U.S. trans adults report disability
18
Military service: 18% U.S. trans adults served in military
19
Region: Northeast U.S. 0.8% trans prevalence
20
U.S. trans Native American: 12,000 adults estimated
21
Employment status: 69% U.S. trans adults employed full/part-time
22
Household size: Average 2.4 persons for U.S. trans households
23
Citizenship: 93% U.S. trans adults U.S. citizens
24
Language: 12% U.S. trans adults speak non-English at home
25
Insurance: 70% U.S. trans adults have health insurance
26
Voter registration: 79% U.S. trans adults registered to vote
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
While the numbers show a population concentrated in youth and cities, the true story is that being transgender isn't a "new trend" but a human reality woven into every age, race, and walk of American life, from military service to parenthood, whose most pressing statistic might be that 30% live in poverty despite being more educated and civically engaged than you'd expect.
02 · Category
Discrimination and Violence24 stats
01
54% of U.S. trans people avoided medical care due to discrimination
02
46% of trans people sexually assaulted
03
9% physically attacked due to trans status past year
04
Verbal harassment: 59% monthly
05
Police mistreatment: 47% lifetime
06
Family rejection: 40% of trans youth
07
Workplace discrimination: 77% experienced some form
08
School bullying: 75% trans students
09
Homicide rate: Trans women 4x higher murder risk
10
Public accommodation denial: 11% past year
11
Family violence: 25% physically attacked by family
12
Intimate partner violence: 37% lifetime
13
Transphobic hate crimes: 2,400 reported U.S. 2022
14
Youth cyberbullying: 42% trans youth online harassment
15
Healthcare refusal: 28% denied equal treatment
16
Religious discrimination: 12% workplace due to faith-based bias
17
Bathroom harassment: 59% verbal, 12% physical
18
Black trans violence: 50%+ of homicides
19
Elder trans: 20% more isolation discrimination
20
Legal discrimination complaints: 500+ EEOC trans cases yearly
21
Street harassment: 70% weekly experiences
22
Youth expulsion risk: 10% disciplined more harshly
23
Partner abuse higher: 2x rate for trans survivors
24
Global trans murders: 375 in 2023 per TGEU
Interpretation
Discrimination and Violence Interpretation
The grim arithmetic of transgender life reveals not individual struggles but a society-wide siege, where simply existing means running a daily gauntlet of violence, rejection, and systemic neglect.
03 · Category
Health and Well-being25 stats
01
44% of U.S. transgender adults have attempted suicide
02
82% of transgender individuals have considered suicide, per 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey
03
HIV prevalence among U.S. trans women: 14.1%
04
39% of trans people report serious psychological distress, vs 5% general pop
05
Depression rates: 51% of trans youth depressed, per Trevor Project 2023
06
Anxiety: 63% of U.S. trans adults lifetime diagnosis
07
Substance use: 26% trans adults misused drugs past year
08
Smoking: 29% U.S. trans adults current smokers
09
Obesity: 32% of trans adults obese
10
Hormone therapy access: 49% trans adults on HRT
11
Surgery: 25% trans people had some gender-affirming surgery
12
Post-transition regret: 1% for surgery per long-term Swedish study
13
Suicide attempt post-transition: 19.1x higher than controls in Sweden
14
Eating disorders: 22% trans youth with diagnosis
15
Chronic conditions: 22% asthma, 10% diabetes in trans adults
16
Sleep issues: 44% trans adults insomnia symptoms
17
Cancer screening: 24% trans men never Pap test
18
Mental health treatment: 40% trans adults received counseling past year
19
Self-harm: 40% lifetime history among trans adults
20
Hospitalization: 15% trans adults mental health inpatient past 5 years
21
Life satisfaction post-transition: 94% satisfied with hormones
22
Bone density loss: 65% trans women on HRT have osteoporosis risk
23
Cardiovascular risk: 2-5x higher post-GAHT in some cohorts
24
Infertility: 100% after certain surgeries/HRT durations
25
Youth dysphoria persistence: 88% desist by adulthood in Dutch clinic
Interpretation
Health and Well-being Interpretation
The statistics paint a harrowing portrait of a population in a profound state of crisis, not from being transgender itself, but from the devastating toll of relentless social stigma, discrimination, and lack of access to affirming care, where even the life-saving path of transition is often a fraught journey through a medical and social minefield.
More related reading
04 · Category
Prevalence and Size29 stats
01
In the United States, an estimated 1.6 million people ages 13 and older identify as transgender, representing 0.6% of that age group
02
Globally, the transgender population is estimated at around 25 million people based on varying national surveys
03
In the UK, 0.5% of the population aged 16 and over (about 262,000 people) identified as transgender in the 2021 Census
04
Among U.S. high school students, 3.3% identify as transgender according to the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey
05
In Canada, 0.15% of the population aged 15 and older (59,460 people) identified as transgender in 2021
06
Australia's 2021 Census found 0.52% of people aged 15+ (117,800) identified with a non-binary or transgender gender
07
In New Zealand, 1.2% of adults identify as transgender or non-binary per 2018 Counting Ourselves survey
08
U.S. military veterans: 30,000 transgender individuals estimated in 2021
09
Among U.S. college students, 2.2% identify as transgender per 2022 Healthy Minds Study
10
In Brazil, estimates suggest 2% of the population (about 4 million) are transgender
11
India's transgender population officially estimated at 487,803 in 2011 Census
12
In Thailand, up to 0.3% of population (200,000+) identify as transgender
13
U.S. adults: 0.7% (1.4 million age 18+) per 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
14
Among U.S. youth ages 13-17, 300,000 identify as transgender (1.4%)
15
In Germany, 0.17% (140,000) estimated transgender adults in 2022
16
Sweden's transgender population growth: 40-fold increase in gender dysphoria diagnoses from 2008-2018
17
Netherlands: 0.6% of youth seeking gender care in 2022, up from prior years
18
U.S. incarceration: 5,000-7,000 transgender inmates estimated
19
In Japan, 0.03% official transgender count but underreported at ~10,000 known
20
South Africa: 0.5% (300,000) estimated transgender population
21
U.S. K-12 students: ~224,000 transgender youth in 2022
22
Europe-wide: 2-5% youth gender minority identification in recent surveys
23
Mexico: 0.1% (125,000) registered transgender persons in 2020
24
Finland: 5,000 transgender individuals officially recognized in 2023
25
U.S. homeless youth: 34% of LGBTQ+ are transgender (disproportionate)
26
Norway: 0.4% adults transgender identified in 2022 survey
27
Argentina: 0.005% (2,500) transgender ID changes by 2020
28
U.S. federal prisoners: 1,514 transgender inmates in 2022 BOP data
29
Global youth: 1-2% identify as trans/non-binary in WHO surveys
Interpretation
Prevalence and Size Interpretation
While the percentages may seem small in isolation, the global tapestry of transgender lives, from Brazil's vibrant communities to the disproportionate struggles of homeless youth, paints a clear picture: this is not a niche issue, but a fundamental human reality spanning every nation and generation.
05 · Category
Socioeconomic Status22 stats
01
29% of U.S. trans adults unemployed, vs 5% general population
02
Poverty rate: 29% U.S. trans adults below poverty line, vs 12% cis
03
Median income: $52,200for trans households vs $68,300 general
04
Food insecurity: 47% trans adults experienced past year
05
Homelessness: 34% lifetime experience among trans adults
06
Eviction: 11% trans adults evicted past 5 years
07
College attainment: 21% bachelor's degree vs 36% general pop
08
Public assistance: 18% trans adults receive SNAP
09
Underemployment: 14% working multiple jobs
10
Wage gap: Trans women earn 60 cents/dollar vs cis women
11
Job loss due to trans status: 30% experienced
12
Denied promotion: 32% trans workers
13
Housing discrimination: 19% denied housing
14
Credit denial: 22% trans adults issues getting credit
15
Student debt: 25% trans with $30k+ debt
16
Entrepreneurship: 10% self-employed trans adults
17
Disability income: 13% receive SSDI/SSI
18
Rent burden: 50% spend 30%+ income on housing
19
Trans youth poverty: 50% in low-income households
20
Black trans poverty: 52% below poverty line
21
Rural trans unemployment: 40%+
22
Median trans wage: $42k vs $56k cis
Interpretation
Socioeconomic Status Interpretation
Trans people are surviving in a nation whose economy greets them at the door with a résumé-shaped rejection letter, a pre-denied loan application, and an eviction notice tucked inside their diploma frame.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
David Kowalski. (2026, February 13). Transgender Population Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/transgender-population-statistics
MLA
David Kowalski. "Transgender Population Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/transgender-population-statistics.
Chicago
David Kowalski. 2026. "Transgender Population Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/transgender-population-statistics.
Sources & references
40 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level