Almost 10% of People in America Identify as Gay

I can’t wait to stumble all over this article because math and numbers were never my strong suit. Gallup has released their annual survey into gay statistics, and the results are understandably predictable yet shocking at the same time. As well, it’s interesting to theorize that some of these numbers are the direct result of political/societal differences in America under the current administration. But we’ll get to that later. 

Let’s start with community standards. According to Gallup, 9% of people in The United States reported that they fall under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. In other words, 9% of people identify as something other than heterosexual. To put this in perspective, according to Census.gov, there are 342,344,706 people in America as of February 2026. That means just over 38,000,000 people in this country are same-sex attraction or another orientation. Now we know how the Pride parades are getting filled! 

To put 9% into perspective, Gallup reports that only 3.5% of citizens identified as gay in 2015 – when same-sex marriage was declared legal – and only 7% of citizens identified as such in 2021. That means that we’re seeing a steady incline over the years of folks who able to vocalize their sexuality with gusto. 

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Now, here’s something I found to be unexpected. According to the study, the largest demographic in the LGBTQIA+ community goes to bisexuals. Yes, bisexuality is the most common group under the gay umbrella. I really thought it was going to be man-on-man action. As I mentioned above, one can only wonder if this number is skewed by men/women who are too afraid to come out fully given the uptick in hate crimes against gay people under the Trump Administration. 

Gallup also reports that the age range with the most gay people falls to the under 30 demographic. More women than men identify as queer. And, not to anyone’s surprise, more Democrats identify as gay than Republicans. 

How do you feel about gay math in 2026?

While gay people still remain the minority in America, it is heartwarming to see the tide rising over time. I think what this study signals to me, more than anything, is that people are starting to feel more embraced by their families, peers and friends. I think this study signals to me that the stigma against gay people is slowly fading away. Here’s looking forward to being able to say that 10% of the population is LGBTQIA+ in 2027. But how much further do you think that number can really go?

Comment all your thoughts and let me know.