The Top Lesbian Cities in the United States

By

Updated on 03/23/18

Whether you're thinking of moving, or just want a lesbian-friendly city to visit, these cities and towns are our top lesbian cities in the United States.

01

of 05

Northampton, Massachusetts

First Church, Main Street, Northampton — Chipmunk_1/Wikimedia Commons/Creative Commons

Dubbed as "Lesbianville U.S.A." by the The National Enquirer in 1992, Northampton, MA is the best city in America for lesbians. The Northampton area has always been a great place to live, and because gays and lesbians can get legally married in Massachusetts, it tops our list. Northampton is a small town, but because of the numerous universities, including Smith College, Northampton has all the cultural offerings of a big city.

02

of 05

Portland, Oregon

McCall Waterfront Park — Named in honor of Oregon's governor Tom McCall in 1984, the park was originally opened in 1978. Several events like the Waterfront Blues Festival and the Oregon Brewers Festival take place at the park annually. Cacophony/Wikimedia Commons/Creative Commons 2.5

If Northampton is Lesbianville of the East, Portland is Lesbianville of the West. Lesbians flock to Portland for the same reasons straights do: it's a great place to live. Among other distinctions, Portland was rated the Best Walking City and Best Bicycling City in America. Oregon has a comprehensive domestic partnership law and protections for LGBT workers. Portland residents lean to the left and you're likely to find two women holding hands, pushing a baby stroller or out for drinks in any neighborhood of the city. Add a great music scene, the only out NCAA basketball coach and plenty of lesbian hangouts to the mix, and you've got the cocktail for one amazing place for lesbians to live.

03

of 05

San Francisco, California

Alamo Square — One of the most well known parks in the area, and is often a symbol of San Francisco for its popular location for film and pop culture. jjron/Wikimedia Commons

San Francisco must be the gayest city on earth. And it's not just the boys who find home here. Whether you're a young, political dyke or gender queer or a six-figure power lesbian, San Francisco can't be beaten. Take a stroll in Golden Gate Park or shop for wedding bands in the Castro. With one of the nation's best domestic partnership rulings and child protection laws, San Francisco is also a great place to raise a family.

04

of 05

New York, New York

Landmark 19th-century rowhouses, including brownstones in the Greenpoint Historic District, Brooklyn. — Kgwo1972/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

The largest city in the world is a mecca for lesbians. Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood is where the sapphic sisters of New York tend to congregate, but the city that never sleeps has something for lesbians of every age, political persuasion, and background in all of its boroughs. From the classic Rubyfruit bar to esoteric performance art in Soho. Whether you want to visit the home of gay rights Stonewall Riots or if Riot GRRL is more your scene, New York City is the place for you.

05

of 05

Atlanta, Georgia

The skyline of Midtown — (viewed from Piedmont Park) emerged with the construction of modernist Colony Square in 1972. Mike/Wikimedia Commons/Creative Commons 2.0

Atlanta is the queer capital of the South. And one of the nation's most diverse. Whether you want to dance your feet off at My Sister's Room lesbian bar or spend a leisurely afternoon at Outwrite gay and lesbian bookstore. With one of the nation's largest gay pride parades, gay film festival and numerous other cultural events, you'll understand why they call this "Hot-lanta."