LGBT by the Numbers – Season 4

 

I have written many articles about LGBT statistics, as part of a series I call LGBT by the Numbers.

These articles are organized into Seasons, each of which have a Table of Contents, with summaries for individual articles.

 

 

I have written three articles about Gallup’s latest report on LGBT identity in the United States.

These articles will be organized as Season 4 of LGBT by the Numbers, which explores LGBT statistics in the United States and around the world. 

 

 

 

 

This may seem a bit strange, because I’m still in the middle of Season 3, which examines the results of the Gender Census, an annual global survey of nonbinary people.

But I believe it makes the most sense to organize my articles about Gallup’s survey as its own season, rather than incorporate them into Season 3.

 

For anyone keeping score at home, Season 3 of LGBT by the Numbers is still ongoing, even though Season 4 is now complete.

Make sense?

No?

Well, here are the summaries for Season 4, anyway.

 

 

 

1. Gallup: 9.3% of Americans are LGBT

 

Gallup determined 9.3% of US adults are LGBT.

Gallup’s latest report covers LGBT identity in the United States in 2024.

I compared how Gallup’s current LGBT estimate compares to its previous estimates.

 

Gallup also calculated the percent of US adults who identified with specific LGBT identities in 2024.

5.2% are bisexual, 2.0% are gay, 1.4% are lesbian, and 1.3% are transgender.

I compared the percent of US adults who identified with these identities, in Gallup surveys, from 2020 to 2024.

 

 

 

2. LGBT Identity by Generation (2012-2024)

 

Gallup calculated the percent of each generation that identifies as LGBT.

I compared these values on a bar graph.

Each generation has a higher proportion that identifies as LGBT than the generation that came before.

 

Gallup has collected generational data in each of the years it has examined LGBT identity in the US.

I used several line graphs to compare the percent of each generation that identified as LGBT from 2012 to 2024.

Every time, the generational pattern has been consistent — each generation has a higher proportion that identifies as LGBT than the generation that came before.

 

 

 

3. How many Americans are LGBT? (2024 Update)

 

I used Gallup’s prevalence estimates, and data from the US Census, to calculate the number of Americans who are LGBT.

I also calculated the number who are bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender.

I then compared these figures to the populations of US states.

 

I argued Gallup’s estimate slightly undercounts the percent of US adults who are LGBT.

I then calculated a more complete total.

 

 

 

 

Season 4 of LGBT by the Numbers covers the results of Gallup’s 2024 survey of LGBT identity in the United States.

Thematically, Season 4 is a direct successor to Season 2, which covered the results of Gallup’s 2023 survey of LGBT identity in the United States.

If you haven’t already, you should check out Season 2.

 

 

I also recommend reading Gallup’s report about its 2024 LGBT results. 

Gallup published those results on Feb. 20, 2025, and I published the articles in Season 4, including this Table of Contents, over the next month. 

 

 

Here are the links to the Tables of Contents for Season 1 and Season 2 of LGBT by the Numbers, and here is the introduction to Season 3, which remains ongoing.

 

 

 

And that’s a wrap for Season 4.

Now, we’ll resume Season 3, where we left off.