Gayest Places In California For 2020


We looked at years of data to determine which California cities have the most pride

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Editor’s Note: We updated this article for 2020. This is our sixth time ranking the gayest places in California.

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When the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriages, America generally, and the gay community specifically, celebrated. Same-sex marriages, and the gay and lesbian movement is more mainstream than ever.

While the national discussion has been brought to the forefront, at the state level, conversations continue.

Did you know that an estimated 0.49% of California residents is gay? That ranks as the number 2 most gay state in the nation. That means there are a total of 53,965 gay households in The Golden State.

Our goal with this post is to use data and science to determine the gayest cities in California.

After analyzing 446 cities with over 1,000 households, we’ve determined these are The Gayest Cities in California for 2020.

The 10 Gayest Places In California For 2020

  1. Palm Springs (Photos)
  2. West Hollywood (Photos)
  3. Rancho Mirage
  4. Cathedral City
  5. Signal Hill (Photos)
  6. Oroville (Photos)
  7. Desert Hot Springs (Photos)
  8. San Francisco (Photos)
  9. Carmel-by-the-Sea
  10. Emeryville (Photos)

What’s the gayest place in California? According to the facts, Palm Springs is the gayest place in California for 2020.

For more on how we calculated the top ten, and for more information about these places, read on.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the gayest cities in America.

For more California reading, check out:

The 10 Gayest Cities In California For 2020

Palm Springs, CA

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Households: 23,719
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Gay Households: 1,213 (7th highest)
% Gay Households: 9.39% (1st highest)
More on Palm Springs:  Data | Photos

Palm Springs is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 55mi east of San Bernardino, 107mi east of Los Angeles, 123mi northeast of San Diego, and 268mi west of Phoenix, Arizona. The population was 44,552 as of the 2010 census. Palm Springs covers approximately 94 square miles, making it the largest city in the county by land area.

West Hollywood, CA

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Households: 23,538
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Gay Households: 844 (9th highest)
% Gay Households: 6.72% (2nd highest)
More on West Hollywood:  Data | Photos

West Hollywood, occasionally referred to locally as WeHo, is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2010 census, its population was 34,399. It is considered one of the most prominent gay villages in the United States.

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Households: 9,406
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Gay Households: 245 (27th highest)
% Gay Households: 4.68% (3rd highest)
More on Rancho Mirage:  Data

Rancho Mirage is a resort city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal population can exceed 20,000. Located between Cathedral City and Palm Desert, it is one of the nine cities of the Coachella Valley. Rancho Mirage was incorporated in 1973 from a merger of Mirage Cove with five unincorporated areas known as the “Cove communities”, and had 3,000 permanent residents at the time. Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the United States, died at his home in the city in 2006, and Jane Wyman died one year later at her home in the same city.

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Households: 17,984
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Gay Households: 467 (11th highest)
% Gay Households: 4.42% (4th highest)
More on Cathedral City:  Data

Cathedral City is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. Colloquially known as Cat City, the population was 51,200 at the 2010 census. Located between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, it is one of the nine cities of the Coachella Valley in Southern California. Cathedral City has the second largest population in the Coachella Valley, after Indio.

Signal Hill, CA

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Households: 4,590
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Gay Households: 60 (133rd highest)
% Gay Households: 2.61% (5th highest)
More on Signal Hill:  Data | Photos

Signal Hill is a city in California located in the Greater Los Angeles area. Situated on a hill, the city is an enclave completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach. Signal Hill was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered there. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,465.

Oroville, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Households: 6,204
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 3)
Gay Households: 97 (84th highest)
% Gay Households: 2.58% (6th highest)
More on Oroville:  Data | Photos

Oroville is the county seat of Butte County, California, United States. The population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 in the 2000 census. Oroville is considered the gateway to Lake Oroville and Feather River recreational areas. The city of Oroville has recently annexed two locations in South Oroville, areas A and B, which have a combined population of 2,725 people. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of the city to be 17,996 as of January 1, 2016, up 1,908 people or 11.9 percent since 2010. The Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California is headquartered here.

Desert Hot Springs, CA

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Households: 9,693
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 1)
Gay Households: 142 (54th highest)
% Gay Households: 2.52% (7th highest)
More on Desert Hot Springs:  Data | Photos

Desert Hot Springs, also known as DHS, is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is located within the Coachella Valley geographic region, sometimes referred to as the Desert Empire. The population was 25,938 at the 2010 census, up from 16,582 at the 2000 census. The city has undergone rapid development and high population growth since the 1970s, when there were 2,700 residents.

San Francisco, CA

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Households: 359,673
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Gay Households: 5,299 (2nd highest)
% Gay Households: 2.33% (8th highest)
More on San Francisco:  Data | Photos