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 0.42% of Massachusetts residents is gay? That ranks as the number 8 most gay state in the nation. That means there are a total of 10,654 gay households in The Bay State.
Our goal with this post is to use data and science to determine the gayest cities in Massachusetts.
After analyzing 53 cities with over 1,000 households, we’ve determined these are The Gayest Cities in Massachusetts for 2020.
The 10 Gayest Places In Massachusetts For 2020
- Melrose (Photos)
- Cambridge (Photos)
- Salem (Photos)
- Medford (Photos)
- Chelsea (Photos)
- Somerville (Photos)
- Haverhill (Photos)
- Boston (Photos)
- Easthampton Town
- Barnstable Town (Photos)
What’s the gayest place in Massachusetts? According to the facts, Melrose is the gayest place in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Cheapest Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Most Dangerous Cities In Massachusetts
The 10 Gayest Cities In Massachusetts For 2020
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Melrose is a city located in the Greater Boston metropolitan area in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Its population as per the 2010 United States Census is 26,983. It is a suburb located approximately seven miles north of Boston and is situated in the center of the triangle created by Interstates 93, 95 and US Route 1.
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Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and part of the Boston metropolitan area.
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Salem is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, located on Massachusetts’ North Shore. It is a New England bedrock of history and is considered one of the most significant seaports in Puritan American history.
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Medford is a city 3.2 miles northwest of downtown Boston on the Mystic River in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford’s population was 56,173. It is home to Tufts University.
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Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. As of 2013, Chelsea had an estimated population of 36,828. It is also the second most densely populated city in Massachusetts behind Somerville. With a total area of just 2.21 square miles, Chelsea is the smallest city in Massachusetts in terms of total area.
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Somerville is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of 2010, the United States Census lists the city with a total population of 75,754 people, making it the most densely populated municipality in New England. As of 2010, it was the 16th most densely populated incorporated municipality in the country. Somerville was established as a town in 1842, when it was separated from Charlestown. In 2006, the town was named the best-run city in Massachusetts by the Boston Globe. In 1972, in 2009, and again in 2015, the city received the All-America City Award.
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Haverhill is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 60,879 at the 2010 census.
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Boston BOSS-tn) is the capital city and most populous municipality of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. It is also the seat of Suffolk County, although the county government was disbanded on July 1, 1999. The city proper covers 48 square miles with an estimated population of 673,184 in 2016, making it the largest city in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The city is the economic and cultural anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area known as Greater Boston, a metropolitan statistical area home to a census-estimated 4.8million people in 2016 and ranking as the tenth-largest such area in the country. As a combined statistical area, this wider commuting region is home to some 8.2million people, making it the sixth-largest in the United States.
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Households: 7,292
Rank Last Year: 14 (Up 5)
Gay Households: 64 (33rd highest)
% Gay Households: 0.77% (9th highest)
More on Easthampton Town: Data
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Barnstable is a city, referred to as the Town of Barnstable, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnstable County. Barnstable is the largest community, both in land area and population, on Cape Cod. At the 2010 census it had a population of 45,193. The town contains several villages within its boundaries. Its largest village, Hyannis, is the central business district of the county and home to Barnstable Municipal Airport, the airline hub of Cape Cod and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Additionally, Barnstable is a 2007 winner of the All-America City Award.
How do you determine the best cities for same-sex households in Massachusetts for 2020
In order to rank the gayest cities in Massachusetts, we used the 2014-2018 American Community Survey from the U.S. Census. We looked at:
- Percentage of all households that are unmarried, same sex partners
We limited the analysis to non-CDPs that have over 1,000 households.
We ranked each place from 1 to 53 with the city containing the highest percentage of unmarried, same sex partners households being the most gay.
In the end, ended up being the the most gay place with 1.23% gay households. You can download the data here.
Read on below to learn more about the gayest places in Massachusetts. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the places in the state from gayest to straighest.
There You Have It – The Most LGBT Friendly Cities In Massachusetts For 2020
If you’re looking at the number of gay households in Massachusetts, this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least gay places in Massachusetts:
- Marlborough
- Palmer Town
- Winthrop Town
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Massachusetts
- Safest Places In Massachusetts
- Worst Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Massachusetts
Detailed List Of The Gayest Places To Live In Massachusetts
Rank | City | Households |
---|---|---|
1 | Melrose | 11,256 |
2 | Cambridge | 46,184 |
3 | Salem | 18,222 |
4 | Medford | 23,016 |
5 | Chelsea | 13,151 |
6 | Somerville | 32,851 |
7 | Haverhill | 24,155 |
8 | Boston | 266,724 |
9 | Easthampton Town | 7,292 |
10 | Barnstable Town | 19,009 |
11 | Pittsfield | 19,230 |
12 | Lowell | 38,829 |
13 | Lynn | 32,709 |
14 | Attleboro | 17,378 |
15 | Watertown Town | 15,498 |
16 | Westfield | 15,272 |
17 | Taunton | 22,184 |
18 | Beverly | 16,687 |
19 | Northampton | 11,163 |
20 | Waltham | 23,631 |
21 | Worcester | 71,145 |
22 | North Adams | 5,759 |
23 | Gardner | 8,222 |
24 | Malden | 22,996 |
25 | Quincy | 40,583 |
26 | New Bedford | 39,242 |
27 | Fall River | 38,660 |
28 | Newton | 30,849 |
29 | Peabody | 21,776 |
30 | Braintree Town | 14,074 |
31 | Holyoke | 15,275 |
32 | Revere | 19,989 |
33 | West Springfield Town | 12,037 |
34 | Methuen Town | 17,692 |
35 | Springfield | 56,476 |
36 | Gloucester | 13,137 |
37 | Agawam Town | 11,875 |
38 | Woburn | 15,741 |
39 | Leominster | 16,941 |
40 | Lawrence | 25,635 |
41 | Everett | 15,816 |
42 | Weymouth Town | 23,284 |
43 | Brockton | 32,157 |
44 | Newburyport | 7,918 |
45 | Greenfield Town | 7,875 |
46 | Southbridge Town | 6,943 |
47 | Franklin Town | 11,655 |
48 | Fitchburg | 14,817 |
49 | Chicopee | 23,002 |
50 | Amesbury Town | 7,131 |
51 | Winthrop Town | 8,006 |
52 | Palmer Town | 4,896 |
53 | Marlborough | 15,718 |