15 Best U.S. Cities for LGBT Retirement

October 11, 2016 at 10:24 PM
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Seniors in the U.S. who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, like their non-LGBT 65-and-older counterparts, want to live in areas that accommodate their needs and comfort.

SeniorAdvice.com, a senior housing referral services organization, this week released a list of the country's top cities for gay-friendly retirement, compiled from a proprietary scoring system called SeniorScore that is specifically designed to measure livability in different locations for older people.

SeniorAdvice, citing American Psychological Association data, noted that more than 39 million people in the U.S. are 65 and older, including some 1.5 million seniors that identify as LGBT. It said the senior population would increase from 12.8% at present to an estimated 19% in 2030, meaning that the number of LGBT seniors is likely to grow as well.

"Even in 2016 not all cities in America are particularly welcoming to those living 'non-traditional' lifestyles and only a few select places have thriving social environments for LGBT residents," SeniorAdvice said in an introduction to its list of gay-friendly cities.

The company assembled its list by using SeniorScore to compile and factor some 100 variables to help determine how well a specific location meets the needs of seniors in general. The data-driven algorithm takes into account four categories: health and safety, recreation and leisure, finance and general quality of life.

After considering the top cities for seniors, SeniorAdvice researched and identified individual variables and conveniences specifically for the LGBT community. Some of these considerations were acceptance of the LGBT community; gay-friendly bars, clubs and other establishments; LGBT festivals and other recreational activities; level of legal protection for gay, lesbian and trans residents; and presence of gay senior groups.

Following are SeniorAdvice's top 15 gay-friendly U.S. cities, along with their scores on the four categories.

Houston Skyline.

15. Houston SeniorScore overview: 71

  • Texas average: 74
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 67

Recreation and leisure: 61

Finances: 63

General quality of life: 62

Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. (Photo: AP)

14. San Francisco SeniorScore overview: 72

  • California average: 71
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 69

Recreation and leisure: 66

Finances: 51

General quality of life: 70

Fremont Street in Las Vegas. (Photo: AP)

13. Las Vegas SeniorScore overview: 73

  • Nevada average: 69
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 63

Recreation and leisure: 62

Finances: 61

General quality of life: 74

Dallas Cowboys Stadium. (Photo: AP)

12. Dallas SeniorScore overview: 76

  • Texas average: 74
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 71

Recreation and leisure: 64

Finances: 58

General quality of life: 75

Downtown Salt Lake City.

11. Salt Lake City SeniorScore overview: 71

  • Utah average: 68
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 68

Recreation and leisure: 63

Finances: 58

General quality of life: 65

Main Street Bridge in Downtown Columbus

10. Columbus SeniorScore overview: 72

  • Ohio average: 76
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 72

Recreation and leisure: 69

Finances: 57

General quality of life: 58

Seattle Sea Seahawks Fans (Photo: AP)

9. Seattle SeniorScore overview: 71

  • Washington average: 68
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 68

Recreation and leisure: 67

Finances: 56

General quality of life: 62

Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. (Photo: AP)

8. Portland, Ore. SeniorScore overview: 73

  • Oregon average: 67
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 70

Recreation and leisure: 70

Finances: 55

General quality of life: 62

Tampa Riverwalk.

7. Tampa SeniorScore overview: 74

  • Florida average: 76
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 69

Recreation and leisure: 61

Finances: 64

General quality of life: 69

Disney World in Orlando. (Photo: AP)

6. Orlando SeniorScore overview: 74

  • Florida average: 76
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 63

Recreation and leisure: 63

Finances: 66

General quality of life: 70

A cyclist in South Mountain Park in Phoenix. (Photo: AP)

5. Phoenix SeniorScore overview: 74

  • Arizona average: 70
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 70

Recreation and leisure: 62

Finances: 55

General quality of life: 75

The World of Coke in Atlanta. (Photo: AP)

4. Atlanta SeniorScore overview: 75

  • Georgia average: 72
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 69

Recreation and leisure: 67

Finances: 66

General quality of life: 64

Minnesota State Capitol building in St. Paul.

3. Minneapolis-St. Paul SeniorScore overview: 74

  • Minnesota average: 70
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 74

Recreation and leisure: 72

Finances: 57

General quality of life: 61

Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

2. Ft. Lauderdale SeniorScore overview: 76

  • Florida average: 76
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 70

Recreation and leisure: 66

Finances: 67

General quality of life: 67

Bob Bullock History Museum in Austin. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

1. Austin SeniorScore overview: 79

  • Texas average: 74
  • National average: 72

Health and safety: 71

Recreation and leisure: 65

Finances: 60

General quality of life: 84

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