
The MEI examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies, and services are of LGBTQ people who live and work there. Cities are rated based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and the city leadership's public position on equality.
The 2020 MEI is the ninth annual edition and rates a total of 506 cities on 49 different criteria from every state in the nation.
Municipal Equality Index 2020
“The results of this year’s Municipality Equality Index show definitive evidence that our local leaders across the nation are standing up for equality – even as they faced headwinds from state governments or the Trump-Pence administration. There is no question that the Trump administration made every effort to attack laws aimed to protect LGBTQ people, and our cities have responded with inclusivity and innovative public policy.”
The 2020 MEI reflects the largest number of top-scoring municipalities in the MEI’s nine year history. 94 cities earned the maximum score of 100 points this year, up from 88 cities last year and just 11 in 2012. What’s more, the national city score average jumped to a record high of 64 points (up from 60 last year), marking the fourth consecutive year of national average increases as well as the highest year over year national average growth ever.
94,237,171 Total Population Rated
38 state averages increased since the 2019 MEI. North Dakota, Nebraska, Virginia, and Kansas had the top four highest state average increases.
Learn about the 2021 MEI scorecard, read our standards of credit, and submit your city to be rated.