Chelsea, Park Slope among NYC’s friendliest LGBTQ neighborhoods

A new report from Localize.city examines the city's top LGBTQ-friendly neighborhoods

No other neighborhood in New York City (and perhaps, the country) holds as much historical and cultural significance for its role in the gay liberation movement as Greenwich Village. It is the home of the Stonewall Inn and has one of the nation's largest concentrations of LGBT historic sites, monuments, organizations, and bars. But other NYC neighborhoods are gaining momentum as some of the city's friendliest LGBTQ neighborhoods. Artificial intelligence website Localize.city, which provides buyers and renters with important details about NYC, has rounded up their list of the city's most friendly LGBTQ neighborhoods.

Localize.city used data sets, including census data and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce's public list of LGBT-owned businesses, to develop an algorithm that identified the amount of LGBTQ bars, venues, social services, community organizations, and various groups within neighborhoods. Localize.city acknowledges that the data only reflects a tiny portion of the queer population since it primarily includes male or female-identifying people in unmarried, same-sex relationships.

"The Village, because of the pricey real estate there, is no longer leading a counter cultural movement, and in some ways is not hospitable to the city's diverse LGBT communities," says Localize.city urban planner Beth Kancilia. "Other neighborhoods across the boroughs now have their own hubs."

Localize.city

In Manhattan, Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen were found to have the greatest concentration of LGBTQ services and resources, as well as the largest clusters of LGBT-owned businesses in the city. The report also notes that census data shows that Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen have the highest rates of same-sex couples in the city.

In Brooklyn, neighborhoods like Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, East Williamsburg, Bushwick, and Bed-Stuy were found to be the among the most LGBT-friendly neighborhoods in the borough. Park Slope has some of the city's most same-sex couples, particularly female same-sex households, while Windsor Terrace (a cheaper alternative to Park Slope) has the third-highest concentration of female same-sex households in the city.

The Bronx has been working to bring more services to the borough and Localize.city determined that Melrose, Mott Haven, and Fordham were leading the forefront. In Staten Island, St. George ranked as the borough's most LGBT-friendly neighborhood.

Despite having homophobic and transphobic violence in the area in recent years, Jackson Heights in Queens was recognized since it is home to the second largest pride parade in the city and has plenty of grassroots organizations that are working to increase acceptance in the community. Long Island City was found to be home to the borough's highest percentage of same-sex couples and has been focusing on creating safe spaces for LGBTQ youth and seniors.

• LGBTQ-Friendly Neighborhoods of New York City [Localize]