Gayest Cities in America, 2013

Being a great LGBT city doesn’t just mean having a raucous nightlife, so if you expected to see Hell’s Kitchen or the Castro, you’re reading the wrong list.

BY Matthew Breen

January 09 2013 10:00 AM ET

14. Salem, Ore. (pop. 156,244) Salem may not be chockablock with nightlife (it does have the Southside Speakeasy; SouthsideSpeakeasy.com), but it’s got a ton of LGBT-welcoming churches (Salem Spirit of Life Church, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Freedom Friends Church, Morningside United Methodist Church, Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests), and more support groups (SalemPride.com) than you can shake a cherry tree at. As the home of Oregon’s state capitol building, it hosts Capitol Pride each August.