Gayest Cities in America, 2013

Are you shocked that Los Angeles and New York didn’t make the list in our fourth annual accounting of city life in America? Then listen up, honey. As much as we love fabulous soirees and mimosa brunches, there’s much more to LGBT life than that. We live in little burgs and big cities and tons of places in between — so we’re looking at the in-between. This year our totally accurate (and totally subjective and constantly changing) criteria for a great gay city had to include two of the biggest legislative and political developments for LGBTs: marriage equality votes in four states and the election that swept a ton of queers into high office, including seven members of Congress.

THE CRITERIA

LGBT elected officials
According to Victory Fund;
1 point for each federal, state, and local official in office or elected in 2012
+
HRC Corporate Equality Index 100s
1 point for each company located in a city
+
Concerts by Scissor Sisters, Uh Huh Her, Girl in a Coma, and cast of Glee
1 point for each stop since 2009
+
Fabulous shopping
1 point each if a city has Whole Foods, West Elm, or Pottery Barn stores
+
Transgender protections
1 point for every jurisdiction with laws prohibiting discrimination, according to National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
+
Gay rugby
1 point for each team
+
Bisexual resource groups
1 point per organization, according to BiNetUSA
+
Roller Derby
1 point for each league
+
Marriage equality
5 points

DIVIDED BY
Population within city limits
(population of >150,000 required)