In this article, we will discover the 20 gayest cities in Florida. Before going to the list, we will talk about the growing LGBTQ+ community and its challenges in the United States.
Over the past couple of decades, there has been some improvement in the acceptability status of the LGBTQ+ community around the world. Many countries where the community has historically been marginalized and targeted for hate crimes have gone as far as legalizing same-sex marriages.
One of the major wins for the LGBTQ+ community recently is finding acceptance among religious circles. In our piece about the gayest cities in Europe (link to article), we saw that recently Methodists ended their anti-gay ban, marking a huge win for Protestant gay rights activists. Similarly, in our piece about countries where gay marriage is legal, we discussed that the Vatican now considers the criminalization of homosexuality a pertinent issue. Pope Francis, for example, condemned laws punishing individuals belonging to the LGBTQ+ Community.
Acceptance of same-sex marriages is also growing. According to surveys conducted by Gallup, in May 2023, 71% of the respondents said that same-sex marriage should be considered valid in law. This figure was 55% only about a decade ago in 2014. In addition, a vast majority of the respondents (64%) said that same-sex marriages were morally acceptable.
The LGBTQ+ community in the United States is becoming increasingly prominent with each passing day. In our piece about the most gay-friendly cities in the world, we discussed how according to a survey by Pew Research Center, 7% of adults in the country identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Similar figures are also quoted by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which reports that LGBTQ+ identification in the United States is at least 20 million or around 8% of adults. A Gallup survey also confirms that LGBT identification in the United States was 7.1% as of 2022, up from 5.6% in 2020. This survey also reports the higher prevalence of LGBTQ+ identities in the youngest US adults, as around 21% of Generation Z Americans who have reached adulthood identify as LGBTQ+. This means that the LGBTQ+ community will grow as older generations phase out and newer generations come of age.
Dating companies realize the growing prevalence and importance of the LGBTQ+ communities and have launched services to target them. Many online dating apps have introduced features that enable their users to select their sexual preferences. One of the most popular applications among homosexual individuals is Tinder. It is owned by Match Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH), which also owns other popular online dating platforms such as Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and OurTime. Match Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH) also owns Archer, which is a dating application targeted toward gay men with enhanced safety features. It requires selfie verification and features customizable profile viewing options. Archer by Match Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH) was developed in collaboration with LGBTQ+ advocates.
Despite the progress in the acceptability of the LGBTQ+ community, the current state is far from ideal, and homosexual couples face many challenges, such as finding affordable housing and healthcare. They are subjected to what people refer to as the ‘Gay Tax’ and have to resort to expensive medical procedures to start a family of their own.
In the United States, LGBTQ+ house hunters face the challenge of finding a safe and welcoming city amid the ever-increasing mortgage rates and home prices. Neighborhoods that are typically considered gay-friendly have a higher price tag. LGBTQ+ individuals looking for a home also have to do more research and look at online sources such as our list of 25 affordable gay-friendly cities in the US, which further narrows down their choices.
With that backdrop, let’s look at the 20 gayest cities in Florida.
Methodology
To curate our list of the 20 gayest cities in Florida, we utilized a consensus approach and used 5 (1,2,3,4,5) sources, which includes one of our articles. Each time a source mentioned a city in Florida, we noted it down and counted the number of times the city appeared on our sources. We named this frequency of occurrence Insider Monkey Score. The higher this score, the higher the city ranks on our list. As a tiebreaker, we used the population of the cities. So, if City A and City B have the same Insider Monkey Score but the population of the former is greater, City A would rank higher on our list.
20 – Marco Island
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Marco Island is one of the gayest cities in Florida. It is a barrier island located in the Gulf of Mexico with plenty of resort hotels, beaches, and marinas. Marco Island, together with Naples, has a growing LGBTQ+ community but does not have a specific LGBTQ+ hotspot, which shows that the lifestyle has been normalized in the city.
19 – Dunedin
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Dunedin is known for its beaches and pine forests. It is an Island that is linked to the mainland by the Dunedin Causeway. It is a small town with a friendly vibe and is incredibly welcoming to LGBTQ+ individuals. Some of the city’s long-established venues are gay-owned. One of the most popular LGBTQ+ hangouts in the city is the Blur Dance Club.
18 – Pensacola Beach
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Pensacola Beach, located on the Gulf Coast barrier island of Santa Rosa, has historically acted as a refuge for Gay Southerners looking for a beach vacation. The resort town is especially populated with LGBTQ+ individuals during the “Gay Memorial Day” holiday weekend, during which it also hosts an enormous Gay Pride Parade. There is also a growing LGBTQ+ presence within Pensacola’s community.
17 – Delray Beach
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Delray Beach ranks 17th on our list of the 20 gayest cities in Florida. It is located between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale and is known to have a ‘hip’ vibe. It is a vibrant foodie and shopping town and has numerous gay bars.
16 – The Villages
Insider Monkey Score – 1
The Villages is a retirement community located northwest of Orlando. While it is not specifically a gay community on its own, a smaller community of LGBTQ+ individuals called Rainbow Family and Friends is quite prominent there, making it a popular choice for LGBTQ+ active adults to retire.
15 – Fort Myers
Insider Monkey Score – 1
The county seat of Lee County, Fort Myers, ranks as the 15th gayest city in Florida. The city has a steadily growing LGBTQ+ community and even features an all-lesbian resort that encompasses 5 acres.
14 – West Palm Beach
Insider Monkey Score – 1
West Palm Beach is known for its respected and large gay community. The town boasts a vibrant gay nightlife with several gay bars and nightclubs. West Palm Beach is also one of the places where people belonging to the LGBTQ+ community will feel accommodated because it usually gets a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index. The index measures the extent to which the laws and services are inclusive for LGBTQ+ people who reside there.
13 – Gainesville
Insider Monkey Score – 1
Gainesville ranks 13th on our list of the gayest cities in Florida. It is a college town and therefore it is no surprise that it is progressive and tolerant. The Pride Community Center of North Central Florida is also located in the city. In addition, it boasts numerous gay clubs, bars, and other establishments.
12 – Tallahassee
Insider Monkey Score – 1
The state capital of Florida is also one of its gayest towns. It is home to Florida State University and Florida A&M Univerity, making it one of the most progressive places in the state. It is also considered a hub for science and education in the city. Lakeshore, located in the northern part of the city, is a popular gayborhood.
11 – Lake Worth
Insider Monkey Score – 2
Lake Worth ranks 11th on our list of the 20 gayest cities in Florida and marks the point where the cities are recommended by more than one of our sources. Lake Worth is also known as the ‘gayborhood of Palm Beach County’ and is home to the Compass Gay and Lesbian Community Center for Palm Beach County. Lake Worth also boasts several LGBTQ+-owned businesses in the city.
10 – Sarasota
Insider Monkey Score – 2
Sarasota is often referred to as Florida’s cultural capital. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is among the top ten gayest cities in Florida. The city has a growing arts scene with an open and diverse atmosphere, along with a growing LGBTQ+ community. It is also an excellent place to celebrate Pride Month, with several events taking place throughout the month.
9 – Miami Beach
Insider Monkey Score – 2
Miami Beach is one of the most gay-friendly beach towns in Florida. It is also dubbed as ‘Gay Riviera’ and has a long history of LGBTQ+ friendliness. It was Florida’s first city to pass a permanent ordinance to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. Miami Beach also has the honor of opening America’s first LGBT Visitors Center. In addition, the city boasts several several LGBTQ+ events, such as the Miami Beach Gay Pride and Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
8 – St. Petersburg
Insider Monkey Score – 2
St. Petersburg ranks 8th on our list of the 20 gayest cities in Florida. Its LGBTQ+ scene is concentrated in the historic Grand Central District, which features numerous businesses owned by lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. It is also home to one of the most popular gayborhoods in Florida by the name of Kenwood. It is also home to some of the most popular gay beaches.
7 – Miami
Insider Monkey Score – 2
Miami is one of the most gay-friendly places. It has a prominent LGBTQ+ community that actively participates in the economics of the city. The city also has a chamber of commerce specifically for the LGBTQ+ community. The city also has a vibrant gay community and hosts some of the most popular gay festivals in the United States.
6 – Jacksonville
Insider Monkey Score – 2
Jacksonville is sixth on our list of the 20 gayest cities in Florida. It also frequently tops the lists of emerging cities for gays and lesbians. The historic neighborhood of Riverside has Jacksonville’s highest concentration of gay bars. The Five Points neighborhood in Jacksonville is one of the most gay-friendly areas in Florida.
5 – Gulfport
Insider Monkey Score – 3
Gulfport is among the top 5 gayest cities in Florida, as it was mentioned by three out of our five sources. The city has a bohemian vibe and a significant proportion of its population is believed to be LGBTQ+. Gulfport also houses a nationally accredited LGBTQ+ resource center.