The Census Bureau added SOGI questions to the Household Pulse Survey (HPS) in July 2021 based on input from the Interagency Working Group on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Items in the Household Pulse Survey: Report and Recommendations. The HPS includes statistics about the characteristics and experiences of the LGBTQ+ population. The HPS is an experimental survey that provides near real-time data about social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the American public.
In 2023, the American Housing Survey (AHS) introduced questions on SOGI for the first time. The Census Bureau is preparing to release that SOGI data later this year as part of the 2023 public-use file.

For the first time ever, the Census Bureau will collect data on the gender identity of business owners in its Annual Business Survey (ABS). Questions will be fielded in the 2024 ABS (reference year 2023) with data collection set to take place from July 2024 to December 2024. Data are tentatively scheduled to be released in October 2025. The Census Bureau will also test adding questions on sexual orientation on the 2024 ABS. The inclusion of these questions will help the Census Bureau provide key statistics on the gender identity of business owners, such as the receipt size of transgender-owned firms.

SOGI Statistics the Census Bureau Collects for Other Federal Agencies

The Census Bureau also measures sexual orientation and gender identity on surveys it conducts for other federal agencies.

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) conducted for the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), has been collecting data to measure the intersection of being a crime victim and identification as a sexual or gender minority since 2016.
Since 2020, the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) asked if a child had been treated or judged unfairly because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This survey is conducted for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
Since 2013, the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted for the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), has tracked the relationship between sexual orientation, health status, and access to health care. Beginning in 2022, the NHIS has also included experimental questions to examine alternate ways to measure gender identity.

Although this is not a measure of sexual orientation, the Census Bureau collects information about same-sex couple households in all its demographic surveys and the decennial census.

Page Last Revised - June 25, 2024

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