In an annual ranking of U.S. cities that demonstrates how well they support LGBTQ people who live and work in them, Orlando has, for the 12th year in a row, scored a perfect 100%.
The Human Rights Campaign’s Municipality Equality Index is in its 14th year. It rates the largest U.S. cities, including in Florida, based on how LGBTQ-friendly they are.
In Central Florida, Orlando was the only city that got a 100% on the index. That’s due to a number of factors like the city’s nondiscrimination laws, municipal services for queer people, policies for reporting hate crimes, and city leaders’ commitment to equality.
Other cities in Florida that earned a perfect score in the ranking are Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Hollywood, Ft. Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, Tampa and Miami.
The Human Rights Campaign said overall a record-breaking 132 cities across the U.S., earned its highest score of 100, up from 130 cities that got a perfect score in 2024. Only five cities nationwide scored zero points.
In a statement, the LGBTQ+ rights group said this demonstrates how cities are, “testing the limits of restrictive state laws - pushing back against various checks on municipal power or discriminatory state laws,” including in Florida.
Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign emphasized the power of cities and small, local governments in choosing to support all residents regardless of state policies when it comes to gay and trans people.
“For years now, state legislatures - and now Congress and the president - are waging a calculated campaign to erase LGBTQ+ people from public life and the cities that wish to welcome them," Robinson said. “But there are still more of us who support equality than those who do not - and I commend each and every city that fought against tall odds to show their continued support of our community.”
But some Central Florida cities, like Daytona Beach, did not follow the trend. That city was awarded a 38% on the index. The HRC said it offers fewer services for LGBTQ residents and LGBTQ city employees, and less inclusive hiring and policing strategies at the city level.
Here’s how Florida cities scored on the HRC index:
- Miami Shores, FL 92
- Wilton Manors, FL 100
- Oakland Park, FL 100
- Coral Gables, FL 92
- Daytona Beach, FL 39
- Gainesville, FL 84
- Hollywood, FL 100
- Cape Coral, FL 56
- Pembroke Pines, FL 69
- Port Saint Lucie, FL 77
- Fort Lauderdale, FL 100
- Tallahassee, FL 96
- Hialeah, FL 54
- St. Petersburg, FL 100
- Orlando, FL 100
- Tampa, FL 100
- Miami, FL 100
- Jacksonville, FL 73
Read Orlando’s report here and Daytona Beach’s here.
Learn more about what getting a perfect score of 100 on the HRC index can mean:
