Bye Bye City Life: LGBTQ-Friendly Small Towns to Relocate To

Article written by Kendra Beltran

With the cost of living continuing to rise in big cities, more and more people are looking for an escape route (for their wallet). So we are here to break down the affordable, smaller LGBTQ-friendly places, so that you can plan your next move without having to worry about losing your sense of community.

Bisbee, AZ

This city has been on my radar ever since my rent has gone up and up. There are less than 6,000 people who call this tiny desert gem home. Can you imagine? There are that many people in a single NYC-apartment building at any given time! So if you are looking for peace, quiet, and a cool place to lay your LGBTQ roots down, this tiny artistic community may just be your best bet.

Eureka Springs, AR

People often assume the south has nothing for anyone who is not white, straight, and carrying a Bible, but Eureka Springs will surprise you! This Southern Belle of a town is a fantastic, picturesque spot that boasts of being welcoming to everyone. If you are looking for southern charm, this is it.

Walla Walla, WA

Anyone else here an older millennial and remember that one girl from ‘Real World’ who was from Walla Walla? Okay, now that we have got the nostalgia out of the way - let’s talk about why this is a great place to live. The atmosphere is laid back and chill. This city just celebrated its first-ever pride month in 2019, so they are still learning but the community is strong and always looking for new people to grow even stronger!

Asheville, NC

North Carolina has way more than the Outer Banks. If you go inland, like way inland you will find a creative wonderland known as Asheville. It may have over 90,000 residents but compared to the likes of New York City’s eight million, and Los Angeles’ three - it is quite quaint. And many of those 90,000+ residents are free-spirited, artistic beings who celebrate diversity in all aspects of life. It's a little liberal slice of goodness in what is otherwise known as the Bible Belt of America.

Bloomington, IN

Okay, I know what you are thinking..what the hell is even in Indiana, and um, where is it? Did I have to look up where this was? Yes. I didn’t ace geography, okay? Nevertheless, this place is not shy about bragging about how much they live for equality not only within their community on an everyday basis but with annual events like their Pridefest and LGBTQ film festival. Just take a look, you may want to trade in all the concrete of the city you are in for the mountain views this place has to offer.

Palm Springs, CA

We have all heard by now how Palm Springs is a great place for older gay men to retire, and while that is true - that is not all this desert oasis is good for. It is in California, so the prices may seem steep compared to that of say, Wyoming - but they are way better than Los Angeles or New York City. Plus, the LGBTQ scene is vibrant; from The Dinah weekend for the lovely lesbians out there to the bustling club scene, it is a beautiful place to raise your Pride flag high. Also, you can’t really beat the year-round, picture-perfect weather if you live for the sun.