3.4% of Americans Identify as LGBT

In the largest single survey that targets LGBT Americans, Gallup finds that 3.4% of the adult population in the United States identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.  This survey of more than 120,000 US adults is consistent with smaller research studies that found 3.8% self-identified as LGBT.

One salient trend in the data reveals the marked difference in sexual orientation within different age groups. As seen in the graph, 6.4% of the youngest age group (18-29) identified as LGBT, while each successive age group was less likely to do so (only 1.9% of those 65 and older identified as LGBT).  In addition, men and women have interesting disparities, with women ages 18-29 being much more likely to identify as LGBT (8.3%) than men of the same age (4.6%).

Another salient part of the research comes from race and ethnicity; Hispanics, Asians, and African-Americans are much more likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to identify as LGBT.  3.2% of non-Hispanic whites identify as LGBT, with 4% Hispanic, 4.3% Asian, and 4.6% African-American responding likewise.