A new LGBTQ+ Homeownership Index, commissioned by Gay Real Estate, has been published, exploring the shift in how the LGBTQ+ community bought homes in 2025.
Buying a home is a long-term decision. Stability matters. For many LGBTQ+ people, the idea of where to put down roots includes questions about safety, family recognition, access to services, and the legal protections that will matter for years to come. Last year we produced the Gay Real Estate LGBTQ+ Homeownership Index - which offered a snapshot of how LGBTQ+ adults think about relocating and buying a home in the current legal and political climate. It looks at the forces shaping decisions, how people are changing their shortlists, and what buyers should consider in their search for LGBTQ+-friendly cities with low housing competition and supportive communities.
Why Legal Protections Are Key for LGBTQ+ Homebuyers
Legal protections and the wider political climate directly shape where LGBTQ+ people feel able to live long-term because they affect day-to-day safety, access to services, and family security. When laws fail to protect the queer community against discrimination, people may face higher risks of harassment, struggle to access healthcare or housing, and find it harder to build stable relationships or plan for a family. Even in places with legal rights, a hostile political atmosphere can leave people feeling unsafe or unwelcome.
This is not just a matter of opinion. People are using protections as a filter when they decide where to buy, raise children, or grow a family. In fact, around ⅔ of respondents say that the political climate surrounding LGBTQ+ laws is either a top or medium priority when it comes to deciding where to live, and they would avoid moving somewhere because of it. This shifts housing demand, buyer priorities, and the places people will consider for long-term commitments like homeownership.
When Protections Make or Break a Move
Many prospective buyers treat local protections as practical criteria, but that doesn’t mean every city in a state will be the same. It does, however, mean that protections, or the lack of them, often push a state on or off a buyer’s shortlist.
Key findings show what kinds of rules matter most for housing decisions. More than half of respondents named anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people in housing, employment, and public places as a policy that would impact their relocation choice the most.
Other protections that matter include public accommodations, school curriculum laws, and access to gender affirming healthcare for trans people.
Thinking about protections this way turns them into a screening mechanism. When buyers are choosing where to look for homes, they factor in the everyday risk of discrimination and the legal support available if problems do arise. That has a direct effect on where demand will concentrate.
Adding and Removing States from Your Shortlist
These attitudes produce concrete changes in behavior. Around 22% of respondents said they have added or removed states from their shortlist of potential locations to move to, and a further 11% said they moved or now plan to move to a different state because of the political climate.
When you combine those who reported at least one active behavior change, 46.6% of respondents are doing something different as a result of the political climate, whether that’s deciding not to buy in the near future or pausing their plans until after a specific law or election outcome.
How the Climate is Changing Homebuying Behavior
The political climate around LGBTQ+ laws is influencing not just opinions, but concrete actions in the housing market. Over 60% of LGBTQ+ homebuyers are actively adjusting their plans in response to legal and policy changes. Some are changing the states they would consider for relocation, while others are pausing or accelerating their buying and selling timelines. A portion of the community has even decided not to buy or sell for the near term.
Overall, nearly half of LGBTQ+ adults surveyed reported at least one change in behavior, showing that these decisions are shaping the market even before anyone physically moves.
This means demand may start to concentrate in areas seen as supportive and protective, while states perceived as less safe could experience slower buyer activity. For LGBTQ+ buyers, understanding these trends is an important part of planning a home purchase and identifying where housing opportunities are likely to be most accessible.
Timing Matters: How Laws and Elections Affect Buying Plans
Timing matters for LGBTQ+ buyers and sellers. 11.4% said they paused plans until after a specific law or election outcome, with some (6.6%) respondents bringing forward their buying timeline, and others (4.2%) bringing forward plans to sell. These are real timing changes with consequences for inventory, competition, and price pressure.
Buyers who wait can face a tighter market later on if others decide to move sooner. Sellers who delay may miss windows of demand. The net result is a shift in market rhythm caused by legal and political uncertainty.
Choosing Where to Live: Blue vs. Red States
When respondents were asked which states they would feel most comfortable living in as an LGBTQ+ person, over ⅔ of respondents skewed strongly toward blue states. Similarly, an unsurprising yet overwhelming 90.6% agreed that they would feel least comfortable living as an LGBTQ+ person in a red state.
While this is based on desired destinations rather than where respondents are currently living, even those living in red states still gravitated towards blue states, telling us the aspirational geography of many LGBTQ+ people is toward places they think will offer long-term stability and protections.
Mapping LGBTQ+ Safety and Community Support
This interactive map offers a clear way to see where LGBTQ+ respondents feel most and least comfortable living. Each state is given a score based on how many people said they would prefer to live there, minus those who said they would not.
The map shows a clear pattern. States like California emerge as the most comfortable destinations for many LGBTQ+ adults, reflecting both legal protections and cultural acceptance. In contrast, states such as Alabama are consistently rated as least comfortable, signaling areas where respondents perceive higher risks or fewer supportive resources.
By comparing these scores across the country, the map provides a practical tool for understanding how legal and political climates can shape housing decisions. It illustrates not just where people currently live, but which areas are considered viable for long-term commitments, and which may be removed from consideration when planning a move. For LGBTQ+ buyers, the map reinforces the importance of factoring local protections and community support into homebuying decisions.
Everyday Life in Blue vs. Red States
People’s feelings about their state’s political climate vary depending on where they live. Respondents in blue states were much more likely to view their state’s LGBTQ+ climate positively, with over half saying they felt “very” or “somewhat” positive. In red states, only 22.1% felt the same. Negative views followed the reverse pattern: 17.1% in blue states reported negative sentiment compared with 43.4% in red states. These contrasting day-to-day experiences help explain why many respondents said they would feel more comfortable living in blue states.
The Protections That Really Matter
Not all protections are weighted the same. The policy themes that most affect relocation decisions are those tied to everyday stability. For example, over half of the respondents agreed that anti-discrimination protections when it comes to housing, jobs, and public spaces would impact their decision to relocate the most. Family recognition, healthcare access, and safe schools were also highlighted by around 20% of respondents for each.
These priorities show why the ranking in the Index looks the way it does; they’re the kind of policies that influence whether a place feels like somewhere people can build a life.
How Family Planning Shapes Housing Decisions
Family planning undoubtedly affects prioritization. Respondents who either currently have children or plan to in the future treat the political climate as more important than those without children. Among people with children or planning children, almost ¾ said the political climate would be a top or medium priority in their decisions. For people with no children and no plans, that figure was slightly less at 61.6%.
School curriculum laws and parental recognition for LGBTQ+ families were specifically called out as influential by around 36% of respondents, which makes sense for families who are focused on long-term stability, legal recognition, and school safety as part of day-to-day life.
Voices From the LGBTQ+ Community
Many respondents describe a sense that recent progress for LGBTQ+ rights is being rolled back. One shared, “I feel that any strides we've made over the past few years are slowly being stripped away. I feel we're being used as a distraction by politicians to deflect attention from more important issues by playing off the prejudice of others.” Concerns about safety and stability are especially pronounced for trans individuals. As one respondent noted, “I feel LGBTQ+ people are massively threatened, especially for trans individuals. I am angry and fearful for what’s to come with the current presidency, Supreme Court, and Republican majorities in Congress and in certain states.”
Other respondents expressed frustration with the politicization of LGBTQ+ rights; “I think it's disgusting the way lawmakers are spending so much energy and resources towards hurting LGBTQ+ people, particularly trans people. All people deserve rights to bodily autonomy, to safety, and to non-discrimination,” said one participant. Many emphasized the simple goal of equality and recognition: “I think that we should all have the same rights, no matter what or who we love. We're all still people - human beings. It shouldn't be based on who we are or who we love.”
Even in more supportive areas, the climate is not uniform. One noted, “I think the current climate varies greatly by state and city. In more liberal cities, in blue states, the current climate is mostly tolerant, and LGBTQ+ laws are upheld. The opposite tends to be the case in more rural places and red states.”
These perspectives underscore why legal protections, community support, and practical safety considerations are central to homebuying decisions for LGBTQ+ individuals and families.
Practical Steps to Navigate Homebuying Safely
If you’re thinking about buying a home, understanding how protections and safety will affect your day-to-day life is a practical step in the process of buying a house. How you research places, who you work with, and what legal protections you check for will change what neighborhoods or states you prioritize. Now we’ve analyzed the data and heard your concerns, here are some practical steps you can take as a home-buyer:
1. Research local protections
Check state and municipal policies on housing, employment, public accommodations, and family recognition.
2. Use an LGBTQ+-friendly real estate agent
Finding a supportive realtor, like those connected with Gay Real Estate, can help you find communities and disclose issues that matter for safety and long-term living.
3. Consider a real estate attorney
For buyers in jurisdictions with uncertain protections, a real estate attorney can help with contract language, disclosures, and rights related to ownership and family recognition.
4. Know how much your house is really worth
If you plan to sell or trade up later, knowing how much your house is really worth helps with budgeting and timing.
5. Budget for the cost of professional fees
Understand typical agent commissions and legal fees in your target markets to budget more accurately.
6. Think about timing and events
Consider how upcoming laws or elections might affect your timeline for buying or selling.
Legislative Context
Protections and restrictions vary by state. Some states have strong statewide anti-discrimination laws, while others rely on municipal protections. Local authority to pass stronger protections was noted by 18.2% of respondents as an important factor. That variation is central to why people are adding or removing states from their shortlists.
Next Steps for LGBTQ+ Homebuyers: Safety, Rights, and Smart Moves
The Gay Real Estate LGBTQ+ Homeownership Index 2025 shows that legal protections and political climate are part of the homebuying equation for most LGBTQ+ people. These considerations are shaping shortlists, timing decisions, and market behavior. For buyers and families, the practical next steps are clear. Research protections, use a vetted LGBTQ+-friendly real estate agent, consider legal counsel when required, and budget for the true cost of buying a home.
If you want help finding an LGBTQ+-friendly agent, learning how having an LGBTQ+-friendly real estate agent helps, or getting tips for LGBTQ+ buyers on budgeting and the stages of buying a house, Gay Real Estate is here to help. Explore our directory and guides to find agents, attorneys, and local resources that make buying a home a more secure, informed, and hopeful part of building your life. Ready to make the move? Explore Gay Real Estate for top LGBTQ+-friendly agents.
