Texas Home to Over Two Million LGBTQ+ Residents

A new report identifies Texas as holding the second-largest LGBTQ+ population among all United States.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in LGBTQ+

Screen-print poster illustration featuring a pair of leather boots with a vibrant ribbon on prairie grass, representing the Texas LGBTQ+ population. — A recent Human Rights Campaign report identified that over 2.2 million Texans identify as LGBTQ+, the second-largest such population nationwide. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Is your community becoming more representative of its diverse population, or does it feel stagnant?

A Human Rights Campaign report reveals that 2,243,590 Texans identify as LGBTQ+, accounting for 12.54 percent of the state's population. This figure positions Texas behind only California for the largest total LGBTQ+ population in the country.

Why it matters

The findings underscore the significant size and demographic presence of the queer community within the state. These figures provide a clearer understanding of Texas demographics through data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The study analyzed 2.4 million U.S. Census Bureau survey responses to determine that 12.54 percent of Texans identify as LGBTQ+. The DFW area contains 632,947 LGBTQ+ residents, while the Houston area contains 565,912.

The players

Human Rights Campaign

This organization is a major civil rights advocacy group that works to achieve equality for LGBTQ+ individuals.

U.S. Census Bureau

This federal agency is responsible for producing data about the American people and the economy.

The details

Researchers utilized data collected between 2021 and 2024 to map sexuality and gender identity across the United States. The resulting analysis identifies Texas as a major hub for the community, trailing only California in total numbers.

Data for the study was collected from 2021 through 2024.
The Human Rights Campaign published its findings in October 2026.

Culture Shift

This analysis extends the demographic trends first surfaced by the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey by applying them specifically to the state of Texas. It reflects a growing effort to quantify LGBTQ+ populations using standardized, large-scale federal survey data.

Residents in the DFW and Houston areas may see these figures cited in ongoing local civic discussions regarding public resources and representation. The data provides a baseline for understanding the scale of the LGBTQ+ community across major Texas metropolitan hubs.

The takeaway

The data highlights that LGBTQ+ individuals represent more than 12 percent of the adult population in Texas. Readers can use these figures to better understand the diversity and scale of the communities within their own state and local regions.