The Puget Sound has been a home to a vibrant gay community for decades. In 2023, PSRC conducted the first large-scale travel survey in the nation that asked about sexual orientation. Thirteen percent of adult respondents in the region have identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or something else. In this Puget Sound Trend, PSRC provides an in-depth analysis of the queer community within our region.
In the travel survey, most people who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer tend to be younger (46% of respondents), more likely to be female or non-binary (58%), and tend to have lower incomes, with 12% reporting incomes under $25,000 and 20% under $50,000. This could be related to how young the demographic is on average.
Forty-seven percent of these respondents also identified as a person of color compared to the 34% of heterosexual adults in the survey who identified as a person of color.
The Household Travel Survey allows the agency to gather vital household information from around the region and help us understand the transportation and housing needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer adults and the disparities they face in the region. To find out more about sexual orientation within the region, check out our Puget Sound Trends.