Census data shows Portland, OR has the highest share of gay and lesbian couples in the United States.
According to the data from 2024, nearly 3.8% of couples in Portland are in queer relationships. Following closely, 3.7% of couples in Seattle are in same sex relationships.
Despite Portland holding the top spot for share of the population, Seattle has more queer couples total at over 14,000 couples, the most in the United States. Portland stands at nearly 11,100 couples.
Seattle does have a larger population than Portland.
Portland does have more married couples than Seattle at just under 6,288, compared to the Emerald City’s 6,265.
Seattle claimed the top spot in 2023, beating Portland by 0.1%. Queer couples have boomed since then, shooting up by 0.5% in Seattle and 0.7% in Portland.
San Francisco has the third largest percent of queer couples in the United States at 3.5%.
San Francisco has around 100,000 more people living there than Seattle.
While the data doesn’t give a firm explanation as to why Portland and Seattle have the two largest queer populations, Pride Northwest Executive Director Debra Porta guesses it is because of the friendly economy and breathtaking landscapes.
“The kinds of things that are going to attract non-Queer folks are also going to attract Queer folks,” Porta said. “It's been a growing area, just as a whole, for a long time. There are lots of activities to do here. There's lots of nature, there's lots of all of these things.”
Although, there may not be one solid answer.
“I don't think there's a single answer as to why the Pacific Northwest appeals, or the West Coast as a whole, in all honesty,” she said. “I don't think there's something clearly specific that brings our people here.”
As for why Portland takes the top spot, she speculates it’s because of the friendly, small-town atmosphere.
“Portland's been an actively queer city for a really long time,” she said. “Portland Pride specifically has this reputation for being one of the largest, quote, unquote, small-small town prides.”
Although the focus in history lessons tends to focus on Stonewall on the East coast, Porta says there is still plenty of Queer history here on the West Coast.
“The West Coast's Queer movement has been around as long, if not longer, than the East Coast's Queer movement,” She said. “The history goes really deep there. ”
The area hosts back-to-back pride celebrations, with Seattle’s in June and Portland’s in July.
Portland just wrapped up its Pride festival last weekend, bringing thousands to the waterfront. One of the events was a mass marriage event at the newly opened Darcelle’s XV Plaza which opened earlier in the month.
The census data for 2025 is expected to come out in May 2027.
