Â鶹ԭ´´

Population that identifies as LGBT: 2.0%
Sample size: 2,160

The state with the smallest LGBT population is South Dakota, which made headlines in 2017 for passing . These laws were enacted under the banner of religious liberty, which allows taxpayer-funded agencies to discriminate against the LGBT community. MAP, which tracks state laws and policies that affect LGBT people,  a dismal -0.5 equality profile out of a possible 37. This rating is thanks to the few laws designed to protect South Dakota's 13,043 LGBT residents, as well as the existence of several laws that negatively target them.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 2.7%
Sample size: 2,079

In 2016,  on the demise of the only gay bar in North Dakota, a rural state the publication described as a "hostile landscape" for its LGBT community.  largely confirms that assessment through an analysis of the protections afforded to the state's  LGBT residents — or more accurately, lack of protections. No laws exist to protect the LGBT community from school bullying, conversion therapy or hate crimes, nor from discrimination in education, housing, public accommodations, employment or health care. The other two issues HRC deems critical are marriage equality, which is now nationally enshrined, and the legal change of gender markers on identifying documents, which North Dakota only partially protects.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 2.8%
Sample size: 4,858

A full  of Idaho's  citizens are women, 77% are white and 42% are raising children. The state scores a low 4 out of 37 on the , and , Idaho does not have even the most basic anti-discrimination and protection laws in place.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.0%
Sample size: 11,166

 are dramatically more likely to be unemployed, less likely to have health insurance and more likely to earn less than $24,000 a year than non-LGBT South Carolinians. Nevertheless, both groups attend college in equal percentages. The state fails to provide eight of the 10 basic measures of legal protection , and scores a low .

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.0%
Sample size: 4,235

Although Montana earns a , it does provide some basic protections for its LGBT community, which is 24,447 Montanans strong. Like non-LGBT residents in the state, a large percentage of the community falls . Nearly one in four LGBT Montana residents is raising children.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.0%
Sample size: 7,938

Arkansas'  are divided fairly evenly between women and men, with 53% to 47%, respectively. The state earns a low  thanks to laws that offer little protection for, and sometimes directly target, Arkansas' LGBT population. Residents there do not yet have the  on identification documents.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.0%
Sample size: 12,133

Almost half of  are non-white, and 35% are raising children. The heart of the Bible Belt in the Deep South, Alabama presents an unforgiving landscape for the community. Its  is poor: -2.5 out of 37. LGBT residents there , and several state laws were written to restrict and impede them.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.0%
Sample size: 2,225

Alaska stands out for its . Roughly 40% of the state's  is comprised of 18- to 24-year-olds, an age group that represents just 15% of the non-LGBT population. Like those in other remote and rural states, LGBT Alaskans suffer from a â€”the state maintains a low 

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.1%
Sample size: 7,024

Like Alaska, Kansas is home to an . More than 40% are 18- to 24-year-olds, for an average age of 36. The state's 67,962 LGBT residents are divided into an almost exactly even 50/50 split between men and women. Kansas has failed to institute  monitored by the HRC and, thanks in part to several religious exemption laws, has earned a  of just 3.5 out of 37.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.1%
Sample size: 17,050

Nearly  call Tennessee home, nearly  and a little more than one in four is raising children. The conservative Southern state can be hostile, earning a dreary . In fact, the state expressly forbids cities and towns from passing laws that would prevent discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.2%
Sample size: 6,783

In 2017, Mississippi subjected its 72,558 LGBT citizens to choking legislation  as "by far the most sweeping and devastating state law to be enacted against LGBTQ people in the country." Just a handful of thin protections exist in the state, which earned a . 

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.2%
Sample size: 8,064

There's a 54% to 46% split between women and men, respectively, in , which consists of nearly . Iowa is the first state on this list to earn a not considered low (13.5 out of 37) and a decent  of laws that protect LGBT citizens instead of marginalizing them. Iowa fully supports laws on six key issues, and partially supports two others.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.3%
Sample size: 10,804

One in three members of Kentucky's   is raising children, and they go to college at the exact same rate as the state's non-LGBT residents. After failing to enact laws enshrining  Kentucky earned a low  of 6 out of 37.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.3%
Sample size: 8,349

Utah has  three crucial protections for its LGBT residents, but neglected to enact seven others. A lack of so-called religious exemption laws, however, has helped the state squeak out a decent  of 9.5 out of 37. Nearly three out of four of the 70,272  are not raising children, and nearly one in three earns less than $24,000 a year.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.4%
Sample size: 4,635

 are younger on average by nearly a decade than their non-LGBT counterparts. They're overwhelmingly white and female, and are disproportionately young adults—32% of the population is 18-24 years old, compared to just 9% of the larger population. West Virginia's low  is largely attributed to the state's failure to enact gender identity protections, as well as its passing of laws that are hostile with regards to gender identity.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.4%
Sample size: 13,632

More than  citizens have made their homes in Missouri, a state that affords them limited protection and a  of just 3.75 out of 37. Although a plurality of the community falls within the 40-59 age demographic, the state has a robust population of young LGBT residents. Just 11% of  is 18-24 years old, compared to 26% of LGBT Missourians who fall into that age group.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.4%
Sample size: 14,078

In contrast to many other states, Wisconsin's LGBT community is dominated by men by a margin of 62 to 38. Just 18% of the state's  are raising children. Legislatively and culturally, Wisconsin is a mixed bag. The state only , and doesn't support three others at all. Wisconsin has a  in protecting people based on sexual preference, but is negligent in terms of preventing discrimination and worse still when the discrimination is based on gender identity.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.4%
Sample size: 20,357

, one in four of whom is raising children. As is the case for so many others residing in Southern states, they face a . Religious exemption laws are on the books, as are laws criminalizing exposure to or transmission of HIV. Just 3% of the state's population is protected against discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations based on sexual orientation. Only 2% are protected based on gender identity.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.5%
Sample size: 7,984

Although it doesn't even break out of the bottom 20 states in terms of its percentage of LGBT population, Connecticut is leaps and bounds above the previously covered states in terms of equality. The state  deemed critical by HRC, and earns an impressive 28 out of 37 on the MAP equality profile. .

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.5%
Sample size: 23,169

 call North Carolina home, and they're split fairly evenly between men and women as well as between white and non-white. , but they're much less likely to have health insurance and much more likely to earn low salaries or to be unemployed. North Carolina supports just two of the 10 issues deemed critical by the , which called a 2017 update to the state's controversial anti-LGBT HB2 law "shameful."

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.5%
Sample size: 10,689

Oklahoma shuns , and the one it does support—marriage equality—was mandated by the Supreme Court. The state targets its , and the climate is especially unsympathetic toward gender identity issues. Oklahoma earned a MAP equality score of zero out of 37. Even still, the state's LGBT community is more than 100,000 strong, and more than one in three LGBT citizens chooses to raise children there.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.5%
Sample size: 2,202

 is home to fewer than half a million adults and just 15,631 LGBT residents. There is  on the community's demographic makeup and the exact number of LGBT Wyoming residents raising children. What is known, however, is that the state has  across all nine of the 10 critical Human Rights Campaign issues that weren't forced on it by the Supreme Court.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.6%
Sample size: 5,646

Nebraska's  is split nearly evenly between men and women and about one in three is raising children.  are more likely to have health insurance than the state's non-LGBT members, but they're also far more likely to be unemployed or have low-paying jobs. The state scores a , and the resulting environment is particularly harsh in terms of gender identity. Gender identity, in fact,  by the only voluntary protection the state offers its LGBT community, out of the 10 considered important by the HRC.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.6%
Sample size: 18,575

 is most heavily concentrated in, and distributed within five percentage points across, the 18-24, 25-39 and 40-59 age demographics. The Garden State's quarter-million-plus-strong LGBT population enjoys strong protections in a state that earned a .

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.6%
Sample size: 32,473

With a  and no protection laws in seven of 10 key categories, Pennsylvania isn't nearly as friendly to its almost  as its neighbor to the east, New Jersey.  are split nearly equally between men and women, and a 37% plurality of LGBT Pennsylvanians fall into the 40-59 age range.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.6%
Sample size: 53,349

Nearly three-quarters of a million LGBT Americans , but the community isn't only large, . A 35% plurality falls between the ages of 18-24 in a state that generally skews much older. The  that in 2017, thousands of Texans, including many corporate and faith leaders, rallied against SB3, a bill that was widely panned as discriminatory in a state that lacks basic protections across eight of 10 key categories.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.7%
Sample size: 9,958

, laws that target HIV patients and "don't say gay" laws restricting speech on the subject by educators in classrooms combine with a , all making Louisiana one of the least LGBT-friendly states in America. Even so,  members of the community live there, giving the state a high enough concentration to put it in the top half in terms of population by percentage.  of unemployment, college attainment and health insurance coverage compared to the state's non-LGBT residents.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.8%
Sample size: 25,535

In the state of Ohio, , about 28% of whom are raising children there. The state is  HRC deems critical to protecting its citizens equally. The state's efforts at preventing discrimination based on gender identity are particularly bleak, earning Ohio a paltry .

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.8%
Sample size: 19,860

With more than  for 3.8% of the state's total population, no one can deny that the Wolverine State has a robust LGBT community. That's not reflected in Michigan's weak and sometimes antagonistic laws, however. The state has  that weren't mandated by the Supreme Court, and the 31% of the state's LGBT community raising children there are forced to do so in a climate that earned Michigan a  of just four out of 37.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.8%
Sample size: 2,121

Hawaii is part of the Pacific region, which includes Alaska and the West Coast, that is now home to the highest LGBT concentrations in America. This is reflected in the state's robust laws and protections. Hawaii's , four in 10 of whom are raising children there, enjoy legal protections that earned the state a strong . Hawaii fully supports , and partially supports two others.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.9%
Sample size: 12,532

As previously stated, the Mid-Atlantic region has experienced significant growth in the terms of the percentage of LGBT residents, and Maryland is the heart of the Mid-Atlantic. More than  call the state home, more than one in four of whom is raising children. The state welcomes them with , earning Maryland a sturdy .

Population that identifies as LGBT: 3.9%
Sample size: 22,199

 and earning a strong , Illinois stands out as a Midwestern state that has written its commitment to the security of more than 385,000 LGBT residents into law. About  between men and women. The community is most highly concentrated in the 40-59 age demographic, just like Illinois' non-LGBT residents.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.0%
Sample size: 20,999

Home to nearly  identifying as LGBT, Georgia is the first state on this list where a full 4% of its population fits into the category, putting it more on par in terms of population with traditionally LGBT-friendly states than with the Deep South. Georgia's draconian laws, however, mirror much more closely the apparent disdain for minorities that has shaped so much of the history of the state and region. The state  that wasn't forced on it by the Supreme Court and, .

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.0%
Sample size: 13,176

 is raising children in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, which doesn't protect children from so-called conversion therapy. It does, however, . Split evenly between men and women,  skews young, with the largest plurality found in the 18-24 age demographic.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.0%
Sample size: 17,402

With nearly constituting a full 4% of the population, Arizona's LGBT population is large, vibrant and dangerously under-protected. The Southwestern state earns a , thanks largely to punitive policies regarding gender identity and a so-called religious exemption law that enshrines legal discrimination.  on seven of the 10 key HRC protections, and only partially supports another.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.0%
Sample size: 2,395

Although Rhode Island's â€”they reside in a tiny state with slightly more than a million residents—that's enough for them to claim a 4 percent stake in the population. The community is , who represent nearly three out of every four LGBT Rhode Island residents. They have the luxury of residing in a tolerant and welcoming state that has enacted laws for  for a MAP score of 30.25 out of 37—the first state to break the MAP benchmark of 30.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.1%
Sample size: 15,642

 of more than 207,000, but they're confined by laws that earned the Hoosier State a low 6.5 out of 37 MAP score. The state  of the 10 critical HRC metrics, but that isn't saying much considering the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage requires all states to support it by law.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.2%
Sample size: 5,790

New Mexico has a decent record in terms of protections afforded to its , a record that looks better when you consider the state is in the heart of the Southwest—sandwiched between Texas and Arizona, which have far less-inclusive policies. New Mexico has a middle-of-the-pack  and  of the HRC's 10 most important issues.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.2%
Sample size: 42,605

Florida's vibrant LGBT community includes  that represent 4.2% of the state's population. One in four is raising children,  are non-white and nearly one in four is between the ages of 18-24. With a low , however, the state does not go out of its way to accommodate them. In fact, the state that suffered the Pulse nightclub shooting has  a single one of the 10 key HRC protections of its own volition.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.3%
Sample size: 13,844

More than  make their home in Colorado, and nearly one in three of them is raising children there. The  is nearly identical, and the community is spread out closely among the three youngest age demographics. Colorado has made great strides in accommodating its LGBT citizens,  nine of the HRC's 10 crucial issues, which has helped it earn a respectable .

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.5%
Sample size: 4,094

There are fewer than , although that's enough to grab a 4.5% stake in the population, and more than a quarter of them are raising children there. The state has earned a high  score,  just two of the HRC's most important issues facing the community.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.5%
Sample size: 41,203

Home to New York City where the modern gay rights movement began, the Empire State is home to  LGBT Americans. A bastion of equality, New York  of the HRC's crucial metrics and boasts a  of 27.25.  is only slightly more female than male, and is concentrated by all but 9% in the three youngest age demographics. 

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.6%
Sample size: 17,782

Part of the Pacific region where America's LGBT community is most densely concentrated, Washington counts more than  among its population. Nearly three in 10 are raising children.  out of 37 MAP score, thanks to healthy protections that include  of the HRC's critical issues.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.6%
Sample size: 3,129

The overwhelming majority of New Hampshire's nearly  LGBT population is concentrated in the . The state lags behind many of its New England neighbors with a  that is satisfactory at best. It , and only partially supports two others, but the  protecting transgender residents from discrimination.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.7%
Sample size: 1,976

A huge plurality—nearly half—of  is concentrated in the 40-59 age demographic, and fewer than one in four is raising children there. Although the Mid-Atlantic region has made great strides in accommodating its rapidly growing LGBT population, Delaware limps to the finish line with an  than can be summed up as "just okay." The state's 35,146 LGBT community members enjoy full support on just .

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.8%
Sample size: 5,888

Nevada's LGBT population is large and young, with a combined  of the  community packed into the 18-24 and 25-39 age demographics. They enjoy living in a state with a high  rating and  for all 10 critical issues touted as important by HRC.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.9%
Sample size: 11,859

Oregon is at the center of the Pacific region, which is now the heart of America's LGBT community.  call the state home.  to have health insurance, more likely to go to college and less likely to be unemployed. The state  tracked by HRC and tops out with a .

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.9%
Sample size: 69,467

California has long been one of the epicenters of LGBT life and culture in America, and its massive 1.48 million-member community reflects that heritage—so, too, do the Golden State's laws. The state's permissive, protective legal framework earned it a whopping , while  crucial HRC protections.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 4.9%
Sample size: 15,193

 of Massachusetts' LGBT population, which totals more than a quarter-million residents, is raising children in the state. Massachusetts  of the HRC's 10 primary issues, and partially supports one other. Those efforts have earned the state a  of 27 out of 37.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 5.3%
Sample size: 2,200

One of just three states (including Washington, D.C.) that boasts an LGBT population greater than 5% of all residents,  9 of the 10 key HRC metrics and partially supports the other, earning the state a strong .  in 10 of the nearly  are women.

Population that identifies as LGBT: 8.6%
Sample size: 1,746

The state with the highest concentration of LGBT Americans isn't actually a state at all. It's the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., where  is male and just 15% is raising children. Its  bests even the high bar set by California. The District's  enjoy legal protection across .