While Texas is a conservative state, there are pockets within it that are LGBTQ+ friendly. These friendly havens are essential for finding community and feeling like you're at home if you plan on moving to or visiting cities in Texas. Before you move to Texas, check out our guide on the best cities to live in Texas for the LGBTQ+ community.
The Most LGBTQ+ Friendly Cities in Texas
The most LGBTQ+-friendly cities in Texas include Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Fort Worth. Here's a breakdown of what each city has to offer to help you decide where you want to move.
Gay Life in Austin
According to the 2020 census conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 1.7% of household couples in the US reported being in same-sex relationships. Travis County, the county where Austin resides, reported 3.6% of partnered households being same-sex. This makes Austin one of the most gay-friendly cities in Texas.
Gay Neighborhoods in Austin
The LGBTQ+ community is spread throughout Austin and the surrounding areas, making it a diverse and supportive place to live. There is no one neighborhood that is the most gay-friendly in Austin, but suburbs like Anderson Mill, Clarksville, Travis Heights, Hyde Park, Zilker, and Barton Hills are some of the more popular areas.
Gay Nightlife in Austin
Austin has a robust nightlife for the LGBTQ+ community, with most of its bars centered around 4th Street. As the live music capital of the world, there are plenty of live music opportunities, LGBTQ+-friendly bars and clubs, and drag shows. The most notable gay bars in Austin include the Iron Bear, Cheer Up Charlies, Oilcan Harry’s, Elysium, The Austin Eagle, and Barbarella Austin.
Austin Pride
More than 400,000 people have attended the Austin PRIDE festival over the years. This parade and festival typically takes place in August and plays a vital role in community, celebration, activism, and fighting for the rights of LGBTQ+ people. The parade begins at the Texas State Capitol, and the floats and participants travel 1.3 to 1.5 miles at night through downtown Austin.
Gay Life in Dallas
Dallas is another popular place to live in Texas if you are part of the LGBTQ+ community. 2.8% of partnered households in Dallas report being the same sex, which is well above the national average. Notably, Dallas has one of the biggest gay churches in the U.S. The Dallas Cathedral of Hope is considered the largest liberal Christian Church for LGBTQ+ people. So, if you're looking for a strong, inclusive religious community in the state, then Dallas may be your top pick.
Gay Neighborhoods in Dallas
Oak Lawn is hands down the most welcoming LGBTQ+ gayborhood in Dallas. It's the epicenter of the Dallas Pride Parade and contains many gay owned businesses. Other places to live in Dallas if you're part of the LGBTQ+ community include Bishop Arts District, North Oak Cliff, Deep Ellum, and Cedar Springs.
Gay Nightlife in Dallas
Dallas has an impressive nightlife for LGBTQ+ people. Most of the iconic Dallas gay bars and clubs are located around Cedar Springs, making it easy to access all the fun and experience what Dallas has to offer. Popular gay clubs in Dallas include the Hidden Door, Station 4, Dallas Woody's, Roundup Saloon, Liquid Zoo, Alexandre’s, JR’s Bar & Grill, and Dallas Eagle.
Dallas Pride
Also called The Pride of Texas, Dallas Pride is a charity organization dedicated to creating events full of music, family, community, and entertainment for the LGBTQ+ community. As one of the biggest LGBTQ+ events in North Texas, you won't want to miss the color guard, costume contests, competitions, floats, and overall celebration and declaration of LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms at this annual event.
Gay Life in Houston
The US Census ranked Harris County as one of the top 10 U.S. counties with the highest percentage of lesbian and gay couple households in 2020, ranking it fourth and seventh, respectively.
However, because Houston has such a high population overall, the percentage of partnered same-sex households compared to the population makes it only slightly above that of cities across the country: 2% of partnered households in Harris County report being same sex households, compared to the 1.7% national average. This higher population makes for a vibrant and active LGBTQ+ community in Houston, worth exploring if you're interested in the area.
Gay Neighborhoods in Houston
The largest gay neighborhood in Houston is Montrose. This gayborhood has a strong LGBTQ+ community, rich in culture, bars, clubs, and charming craftsman-style homes. Midtown, Rice Village, and The Heights are other popular LGBTQ+-friendly neighborhoods in Houston.
Gay Nightlife in Houston
Houston offers an almost overwhelming number of gay bars and clubs to explore, most of which are found around Crocker Street, San Jacinto Street, Pacific Street, and Fairview Street. Some of the most popular gay bars and clubs in Houston that have high reviews include: Pearl Bar, Ripcord, Eagle Houston, George, BUDDY’S Houston, JR's Bar and Grill, South Beach, Michael's Outpost, Neon Boots Dancehall and Saloon, Tony's Corner Pocket, and Crocker.
Houston Pride
Pride Houston is the largest non-profit LGBTQ+ celebration in Texas and aims to increase visibility, community, and joy within the LGBTQ+ community. For almost 50 years, Pride Houston has played an integral role in creating the Houston Pride Festival and Houston Pride Parade. This night parade aims to celebrate the history of Houston LGBTQ+ people and operates year-round to support the people within the community.
Gay Life in San Antonio
San Antonio and the surrounding areas in Bexar County had 2.4% of partnered households reporting being the same-sex in the 2020 census. It's not surprising that this higher percentage of same-sex households encourages gay life in San Antonio. The city has its fair share of local organizations, events, and a gay district full of bars, clubs, and hotels.
Gay Neighborhoods in San Antonio
Tobin Hill is the biggest gay neighborhood in San Antonio, where you can find historically significant LGBTQ+-friendly nightclubs and bars, and a range of home styles, including Victorian and mid-century modern houses. Other honorable mentions include Monte Vista, which is a much quieter but liberal and inclusive neighborhood, South Town, and Lavaca.
Gay Nightlife in San Antonio
Main Avenue is the place to be if you're an LGBTQ+ person in San Antonio. You can find plenty of notorious bars and gay clubs in San Antonio on this street, including venues like Pegasus, Purgatory, Let's Be Honest, Sparky's Pub, Heat, Knockout, and WKND. So many options, you may just need a San Antonio gay city guide to help you find the best gay bars in San Antonio.
San Antonio Pride in San Antonio
Pride San Antonio is the official pride celebration organization in the city. This non-profit was incorporated in 2011 and is operated by an entire board of volunteers whose primary goal is to improve the San Antonio LGBTQ+ community. At Pride San Antonio, you can enjoy a vast range of food, entertainment, weddings, wrestling, local LGBTQ+ and ally businesses, performers, a health fair, and the pride parade.
Gay Life in Fort Worth
Fort Worth is around the average in terms of the number of same-sex households, with 1.7% of the population in partnered households reporting as same-sex relationships.
However, don't let that fool you into thinking that gay life in Fort Worth isn’t worth it. The city scored 97 out of 100 points in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2024 Municipal Equality Index (MEI) score. The MEI scores cities based on the level of support that they offer to the LGBTQ+ community that goes beyond the state and federal government actions. With a near-perfect score, Fort Worth is an up-and-coming city for the LGBTQ+ community.
Gay Neighborhoods in Fort Worth
There isn't an official gay neighborhood in Fort Worth, but there are several gay bars setting the tone for an LGBTQ+-friendly part of town. Known by locals as The District, those residing on the block off South Jennings Avenue are making an effort to match the vibes of gayborhoods like those in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.
Gay Nightlife in Fort Worth
Fort Worth does not have a designated gay nightlife district. At the same time, there are still plenty of things to do at night for the LGBTQ+ community. For instance, Fort Worth has a gay rodeo and film festival. There is also a wide selection of gay bars in Fort Worth, including Club Changes, Club Reflection, Liberty Lounge, Jackie O’s Cocktail Club, Red Goose Saloon, The Men's Club, Sarah's Place, and The Durty Crow.
While many of the bars are spread out across the city, there are a couple within walking distance of one another, including Club Reflection and Liberty Lounge, which are both located on Jennings Street.
Fort Worth Pride
Trinity Pride Fest is Fort Worth's pride event. This free event includes live performances, food, local vendors, and a push to promote pride in the Fort Worth area. The organization also offers events throughout the year to support LGBTQ+ and ally-owned businesses.
Texas LGBTQ Laws and Resources
Texas has a few laws that impact the LGBTQ+ community, including the 2025 House Bill 229, which defines words about one's sex as used in other laws and clarifies that ”sex” refers to one's biological sex, not gender. Senate Bill 1188 requires people's biological sex at birth to be on electronic health records. Many people within the LGBTQ+ community have concerns that these bills are disguised as Texas anti-LGBTQ+ laws that may negatively impact the trans and nonbinary communities.
Laws are ever-changing, and can range from beneficial to harmful, so it's important to stay informed about your LGBTQ+ rights.
LGBTQ Resources
Many organizations offer resources for the LGBTQ+ community in Texas, including:
- Crisis Hotline (for ages 24 and under): Trevor Project, 1-866-488-7386
- Homeless Youth: True Colors United, 212-451-4401
- Hunger Resource: Move For Hunger
- LGBTQ+ Youth Hotline (for ages 23 and under): LGBT National Youth Hotline, 1-800-246-7743
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Student Support: Free to Be Me: A Toolkit to Protect LGBTQIA+ Students’ Rights
- Trans Hotline: Trans Lifeline, 1-877-565-8860
- Trans Kids Support: Texas Trans Kids
FAQ’s About LGBTQ+ Life in Texas
Is gay marriage legal in Texas?
Yes, there are a few federal laws in place that protect the LGBTQ+ community. The U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal in Texas and all states in 2015 in the ruling Obergefell v. Hodges, and the 2022 Respect for Marriage Act added statutory protections to same-sex marriages.
Because Texas considers common law marriage valid, two people, no matter gender, can be married if they agree to be married, have lived together in Texas, and have represented themselves to others as married.
What is the gayest city in Texas?
While there are more gay people living in Houston than in other parts of the state, Dallas takes the cake as the gayest city in Texas. This doesn't mean that other cities aren't worth living in if you're gay, however. Austin, Galveston, San Antonio, and San Marcos are all solid options for anyone within the LGBTQ+ community.
Is Texas LGBTQ+ Friendly?
As a whole, Texas is spotty about its level of LGBTQ+ friendliness. Chances are, if you move to a rural area, then you'll find minimal support, but most major cities have vibrant LGBTQ+ communities, resources, support, and events that make Texas more than just a mixed bag, but an inclusive home for many.
Moving to Texas? Explore LGBTQ+ Friendly Real Estate Agents
Texas has over 1 million people who identify as LGBTQ+, making it a good state to move to if you're hoping to set roots in a new, inclusive location. Since Texas has pockets of LGBTQ+-friendly areas, it's important that you work with a knowledgeable real estate agent to find a home in the perfect location.
Here at GayRealEstate.com, we have a team of licensed professionals who specialize in finding homes for the gay community in Texas. Working with a gay real estate agent sets you up for the highest representation, so you can trust that you’re in good hands as you house hunt with one of our real estate agents. Contact us today to get matched with top gay, lesbian, and gay-friendly real estate agents near you.
