LGBTQ+ identification in the United States remained steady at nine per cent in 2025, according to new survey data from Gallup.
The findings are based on telephone interviews with more than 13,000 US adults conducted throughout 2025. While the figure is unchanged from 2024, it represents more than double the percentage recorded in 2012, the first year Gallup began measuring LGBTQ+ identification.
Between 2021 and 2023, Gallup recorded readings of around seven per cent, marking a steady upward trend over the past decade.
How Americans Identify
Survey respondents were asked whether they identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or something else.
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86% identified as heterosexual
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9% identified as LGBTQ+
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5% declined to answer
Among those who identify as LGBTQ+, bisexual adults make up the largest share.
Approximately five per cent of all US adults identify as bisexual, making it the most common identity within the LGBTQ+ community.
Within the LGBTQ+ population:
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17% identify as gay
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16% identify as lesbian
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12% identify as transgender
Each of these groups represents roughly one to two per cent of the overall US adult population.
Bisexual Identification Continues to Rise
Since Gallup began measuring LGBTQ+ identities as separate categories in 2020, bisexual identification has consistently been the most common — and one of the fastest growing.
In 2020, just over three per cent of US adults identified as bisexual. That figure has now risen to just over five per cent.
But growth has not been limited to bisexual identification. All other LGBTQ+ categories have also seen increases over time.
Younger Adults Driving the Shift
Gallup’s data suggests that the rise in LGBTQ+ identification is largely driven by adults under 30, who report significantly higher rates of identification compared to older generations.
Women are also more likely than men to identify as LGBTQ+, and Democrats are more likely than Republicans to report being part of the community.
Separate research last year from dating app Hinge found that Gen Z is more open-minded about sexuality than millennials, reflecting broader generational shifts in attitudes toward identity and orientation.
A Decade of Change
While the 2025 figure shows stabilisation compared to last year, the longer-term trend is clear: LGBTQ+ identification in the US has grown substantially over the past decade.
From roughly four per cent in 2012 to nine per cent today, the data reflects not only demographic change but also evolving cultural attitudes toward sexuality and gender identity.
