Table 4: Number and percentage of students, by sexual identity — United States and selected U.S. sites, Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, 2021
| Site | Sexual identity | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heterosexual (straight) | Gay or lesbian | Bisexual | Other/Questioning | |||||||||
| No. | % | CI* | No. | % | CI | No. | % | CI | No. | % | CI | |
| National survey | ||||||||||||
| Total | 12,421 | 74.2 | (72.4–75.9) | 520 | 3.2 | (2.7–3.7) | 1,848 | 11.9 | (10.9–12.9) | 1,482 | 9.0 | (8.0–10.0) |
| Male | 7,358 | 87.3 | (85.8–88.7) | 195 | 2.4 | (1.9–3.1) | 356 | 4.0 | (3.2–5.1) | 333 | 3.7 | (3.1–4.3) |
| Female | 4,992 | 61.6 | (59.1–64.0) | 298 | 3.7 | (3.0–4.5) | 1,449 | 20.0 | (18.5–21.6) | 1,055 | 13.7 | (12.3–15.3) |
| State surveys | ||||||||||||
| Arizona | 837 | 71.5 | (68.2–74.7) | 41 | 3.6 | (2.4–5.4) | 130 | 12.2 | (10.1–14.6) | 125 | 10.9 | (9.1–13.1) |
| Arkansas | 1,183 | 77.9 | (74.4–81.1) | 68 | 5.1 | (3.9–6.5) | 126 | 8.8 | (7.0–11.0) | 104 | 6.6 | (4.7–9.2) |
| Colorado | 535 | 70.3 | (66.4–73.8) | 34 | 4.9 | (3.2–7.4) | 109 | 12.8 | (10.0–16.2) | 91 | 10.8 | (8.6–13.6) |
| Connecticut | 1,208 | 71.5 | (68.1–74.6) | 56 | 3.6 | (2.5–5.3) | 206 | 12.4 | (10.7–14.3) | 166 | 9.9 | (8.4–11.7) |
| Delaware | 1,134 | 78.2 | (74.9–81.2) | 47 | 2.8 | (2.1–3.7) | 173 | 11.3 | (9.4–13.6) | 113 | 7.2 | (5.7–9.1) |
| Florida | 3,425 | 75.1 | (73.5–76.7) | 157 | 3.5 | (3.0–4.1) | 471 | 10.8 | (9.7–12.0) | 327 | 7.2 | (6.4–8.1) |
| Hawaii | 4,181 | 74.5 | (72.2–76.6) | 169 | 3.0 | (2.4–3.8) | 542 | 10.3 | (9.1–11.7) | 490 | 9.6 | (8.5–10.8) |
| Illinois | 2,113 | 75.5 | (72.7–78.0) | 95 | 3.4 | (2.6–4.5) | 330 | 11.4 | (9.5–13.5) | 265 | 8.0 | (6.8–9.4) |
| Indiana | 758 | 76.0 | (70.0–81.1) | 40 | 4.5 | (2.5–7.8) | 109 | 10.7 | (8.1–14.0) | 89 | 7.2 | (5.7–9.1) |
| Iowa | 1,012 | 74.3 | (70.1–78.2) | 32 | 2.4 | (1.9–3.2) | 148 | 11.1 | (9.7–12.8) | 134 | 9.9 | (7.6–12.9) |
| Kansas | 1,057 | 75.4 | (72.7–77.8) | 51 | 3.7 | (2.8–4.9) | 152 | 11.0 | (9.2–13.3) | 123 | 8.1 | (6.6–9.9) |
| Kentucky | 1,603 | 75.4 | (71.9–78.7) | 77 | 3.1 | (2.2–4.4) | 237 | 11.9 | (9.8–14.3) | 173 | 7.7 | (5.9–10.0) |
| Maine | 4,649 | 72.8 | (70.7–74.9) | 228 | 3.6 | (2.9–4.3) | 853 | 12.9 | (11.8–14.2) | 626 | 9.3 | (8.3–10.5) |
| Maryland | 25,559 | 72.9 | (72.1–73.7) | 1,361 | 3.8 | (3.6–4.1) | 4,002 | 11.2 | (10.7–11.8) | 3,390 | 9.9 | (9.4–10.4) |
| Michigan | 2,669 | 76.1 | (73.1–78.8) | 128 | 3.4 | (2.5–4.5) | 410 | 10.7 | (9.1–12.6) | 296 | 7.8 | (6.9–8.9) |
| Mississippi | 1,289 | 77.5 | (75.0–79.8) | 74 | 4.4 | (3.2–6.1) | 163 | 9.3 | (7.9–10.9) | 114 | 7.1 | (5.8–8.8) |
| Missouri | 634 | 74.6 | (71.8–77.3) | 28 | 3.6 | (2.6–4.9) | 101 | 11.0 | (8.9–13.4) | 89 | 9.2 | (7.3–11.5) |
| Nebraska | 514 | 79.5 | (76.7–82.0) | 11 | 1.8 | (1.0–3.2) | 68 | 9.9 | (8.3–11.7) | 41 | 6.2 | (4.9–7.7) |
| Nevada | 1,108 | 67.8 | (64.2–71.3) | 79 | 5.4 | (3.7–8.0) | 224 | 14.4 | (12.0–17.2) | 158 | 10.2 | (8.8–11.8) |
| New Hampshire | 9,420 | 71.2 | (70.2–72.2) | 516 | 3.8 | (3.4–4.2) | 1,788 | 13.3 | (12.6–14.1) | 1,401 | 10.2 | (9.6–10.8) |
| New Jersey | 498 | 72.9 | (66.6–78.4) | 21 | 3.3 | (2.0–5.4) | 87 | 12.3 | (8.8–16.9) | 68 | 10.3 | (7.4–14.0) |
| New Mexico | 3,126 | 71.9 | (69.4–74.3) | 157 | 3.6 | (3.1–4.3) | 509 | 11.7 | (10.2–13.5) | 392 | 8.9 | (7.7–10.3) |
| New York | 3,237 | 71.4 | (67.8–74.8) | 157 | 4.3 | (3.4–5.2) | 536 | 12.7 | (10.7–14.9) | 466 | 8.6 | (7.1–10.4) |
| North Carolina | 1,244 | 73.5 | (68.2–78.3) | 73 | 4.0 | (2.5–6.4) | 208 | 12.7 | (9.7–16.4) | 131 | 8.6 | (6.9–10.6) |
| North Dakota | 1,609 | 81.0 | (78.8–83.0) | 48 | 2.5 | (1.8–3.4) | 158 | 7.6 | (6.1–9.5) | 128 | 6.2 | (4.9–7.9) |
| Oklahoma | 1,247 | 77.1 | (74.7–79.2) | 58 | 3.0 | (2.2–4.0) | 175 | 9.8 | (7.9–12.1) | 141 | 8.3 | (6.7–10.4) |
| Pennsylvania | 1,139 | 73.0 | (69.1–76.5) | 68 | 4.4 | (3.2–6.0) | 193 | 12.2 | (10.5–14.3) | 145 | 8.6 | (6.9–10.6) |
| Rhode Island | 1,474 | 71.8 | (68.5–74.9) | 76 | 3.9 | (3.2–4.6) | 244 | 12.3 | (10.1–15.0) | 202 | 9.2 | (8.1–10.5) |
| South Carolina | —† | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Texas | 1,250 | 75.7 | (71.9–79.1) | 45 | 2.9 | (1.9–4.2) | 164 | 10.5 | (8.9–12.4) | 130 | 8.0 | (6.3–10.1) |
| Utah | 1,261 | 85.2 | (83.4–86.9) | 31 | 1.8 | (1.2–2.7) | 107 | 7.2 | (6.2–8.5) | 79 | 4.8 | (3.8–6.1) |
| Vermont | 12,235 | 71.3 | (70.6–72.0) | 672 | 3.8 | (3.6–4.1) | 2,258 | 12.9 | (12.4–13.4) | 1,854 | 10.5 | (10.0–10.9) |
| Virginia | 2,079 | 71.5 | (69.1–73.8) | 110 | 3.3 | (2.4–4.5) | 396 | 12.2 | (10.2–14.5) | 276 | 10.6 | (8.9–12.6) |
| West Virginia | 364 | 78.3 | (69.2–85.2) | 20 | 4.0 | (1.8–8.5) | 52 | 9.7 | (6.9–13.4) | 34 | 7.1 | (4.4–11.2) |
| Wisconsin | 1,337 | 74.3 | (71.2–77.2) | 48 | 2.7 | (1.9–3.7) | 209 | 12.3 | (9.9–15.1) | 160 | 8.5 | (7.1–10.2) |
| Median | 74.4 | 3.6 | 11.4 | 8.6 | ||||||||
| Range | 67.8–85.2 | 1.8–5.4 | 7.2–14.4 | 4.8–10.9 | ||||||||
| District surveys | ||||||||||||
| Albuquerque, NM | 1,447 | 66.9 | (64.5–69.2) | 86 | 4.3 | (3.4–5.5) | 311 | 13.2 | (11.5–15.1) | 266 | 11.4 | (10.0–13.0) |
| Broward County, FL | 561 | 73.9 | (69.7–77.7) | 44 | 5.1 | (3.9–6.6) | 79 | 9.9 | (7.7–12.7) | 72 | 9.0 | (7.0–11.6) |
| Chicago, IL | 711 | 69.5 | (65.8–73.0) | 29 | 2.9 | (2.2–3.9) | 127 | 12.5 | (10.4–14.9) | 118 | 11.0 | (8.8–13.8) |
| Cleveland, OH | 864 | 71.9 | (68.5–75.1) | 52 | 4.3 | (3.2–5.8) | 155 | 12.3 | (10.6–14.2) | 114 | 8.7 | (6.6–11.3) |
| Duval County, FL | 2,121 | 68.9 | (66.6–71.2) | 181 | 6.4 | (5.4–7.6) | 431 | 13.5 | (12.1–14.9) | 270 | 9.2 | (7.9–10.7) |
| Eaton Consortium, MI | 749 | 69.8 | (66.3–73.0) | 53 | 4.4 | (3.2–6.0) | 144 | 12.8 | (11.0–14.8) | 134 | 10.8 | (9.0–12.9) |
| Ft. Worth, TX | 1,263 | 73.2 | (70.8–75.5) | 57 | 3.6 | (2.8–4.7) | 205 | 11.6 | (10.1–13.3) | 153 | 8.3 | (6.9–9.9) |
| Gaston County, NC | 1,073 | 75.5 | (72.8–78.1) | 55 | 4.0 | (3.0–5.4) | 153 | 10.5 | (8.8–12.4) | 125 | 8.7 | (7.1–10.4) |
| Genesee Consortium, MI | 630 | 71.3 | (67.9–74.4) | 35 | 3.9 | (2.7–5.7) | 127 | 15.4 | (12.9–18.2) | 74 | 7.6 | (5.9–9.6) |
| Hillsborough County, FL | 868 | 72.6 | (69.3–75.8) | 56 | 5.0 | (3.8–6.6) | 149 | 14.0 | (11.9–16.5) | 78 | 7.3 | (5.7–9.2) |
| Houston, TX | 1,538 | 68.4 | (66.6–70.2) | 109 | 5.0 | (4.2–6.1) | 267 | 11.8 | (10.6–13.1) | 239 | 10.5 | (9.3–11.9) |
| Los Angeles, CA | 1,465 | 72.7 | (68.7–76.4) | 72 | 3.7 | (2.6–5.2) | 218 | 10.3 | (8.4–12.6) | 209 | 9.6 | (8.0–11.4) |
| New York City, NY | 2,758 | 72.5 | (68.6–76.1) | 124 | 3.9 | (2.8–5.4) | 453 | 11.3 | (9.8–13.0) | 409 | 9.7 | (7.2–12.9) |
| Newark, NJ | 742 | 70.0 | (65.4–74.2) | 47 | 5.2 | (3.6–7.5) | 134 | 12.1 | (9.3–15.7) | 99 | 9.1 | (7.0–11.6) |
| Oakland, CA | 917 | 72.0 | (68.5–75.3) | 37 | 3.0 | (2.1–4.2) | 146 | 10.7 | (8.8–12.8) | 159 | 11.6 | (9.4–14.1) |
| Orange County, FL | 926 | 69.2 | (66.0–72.3) | 86 | 6.9 | (5.1–9.4) | 165 | 12.2 | (10.1–14.6) | 129 | 9.4 | (7.4–11.9) |
| Palm Beach County, FL | 1,484 | 74.1 | (71.9–76.2) | 80 | 3.9 | (3.1–5.0) | 194 | 9.8 | (8.6–11.2) | 186 | 9.4 | (8.1–10.9) |
| Pasco County, FL | 966 | 74.6 | (71.4–77.6) | 71 | 5.0 | (3.8–6.4) | 157 | 12.6 | (10.2–15.5) | 89 | 6.0 | (4.7–7.7) |
| Philadelphia, PA | 838 | 69.2 | (64.2–73.7) | 59 | 4.7 | (3.6–6.1) | 175 | 13.8 | (11.7–16.1) | 147 | 11.4 | (9.0–14.5) |
| Portland, OR | 848 | 62.8 | (60.0–65.6) | 73 | 5.5 | (4.3–7.0) | 223 | 16.1 | (14.3–18.0) | 199 | 14.2 | (12.6–16.0) |
| San Diego, CA | 1,091 | 71.9 | (69.7–73.9) | 53 | 3.4 | (2.6–4.4) | 198 | 12.8 | (11.1–14.7) | 164 | 10.3 | (9.0–11.8) |
| San Francisco, CA | 1,670 | 74.5 | (72.0–76.8) | 50 | 2.3 | (1.7–3.2) | 205 | 9.1 | (7.6–10.9) | 253 | 11.1 | (9.4–13.1) |
| Seattle, WA | 980 | 66.2 | (64.0–68.4) | 77 | 5.1 | (4.1–6.2) | 217 | 14.1 | (12.6–15.9) | 211 | 13.7 | (11.8–15.8) |
| Shelby County, TN | 934 | 72.0 | (68.6–75.2) | 89 | 6.8 | (5.2–8.7) | 165 | 11.9 | (9.9–14.4) | 100 | 6.9 | (5.4–8.8) |
| Spartanburg County, SC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Median | 71.9 | 4.4 | 12.3 | 9.5 | ||||||||
| Range | 62.8–75.5 | 2.3–6.9 | 9.1–16.1 | 6.0–14.2 | ||||||||
*95% confidence interval.
- Table 1. Number of states and local school districts that conducted a YRBS and number with and without representative data, by year of survey
- Table 2. Number of states and local school districts that included at least one of two questions ascertaining sexual minority status and obtained representative data, by year of survey
- Table 3: Sample sizes, response rates, and demographic characteristics*
- Table 4: Number and percentage of students, by sexual identity
- Table 5: Number and percentage of students, by sex of sexual contacts
- Table 6: Sex of sexual contacts, by sexual identity