AGE OF INDIVIDUALS
WHO IDENTIFY AS
TRANSGENDER IN THE
UNITED STATES
By Jody L. Herman, Andrew R. Flores, Taylor N.T. Brown,
Bianca D.M. Wilson, and Kerith J. Conron

JANUARY 2017

 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
Few data sources exist that can be used to describe the demographic characteristics of transgender people in
the United States. Most U.S. demographic data come from national, population-based surveys, like the Decennial
Census and the American Community Survey. National surveys, such as these, have rarely included questions
to identify transgender respondents, leaving large gaps in our knowledge about the size and demographic
composition of the transgender population. Yet, an increasing number of states and localities do collect data
about transgender people. In this report, we utilize data from state-level, population-based surveys to estimate
the proportion of the population that identifies as transgender by age group, starting at age 13. We provide a
new estimate of the percentage of youth (13 to 17) that identifies as transgender (Figure 1). We also provide a new
estimate of the overall age distribution of the transgender population, ages 13 and above. This report is part of a
series of Williams Institute reports in which we provide estimates about the size and demographic characteristics of
those who identify as transgender in the United States.1
Figure 1. Percentage of Individuals Who Identify as Trangender by Age
0.7%

0.7%
0.6%

0.6%
0.5%

13 to 17

18 to 24

25 to 64

65 and older

All Adults (18+)

Some state-level surveys have provided researchers with data to compare the demographic characteristics of the
transgender population to the non-transgender population. Studies based on state-level surveys of adults have
differed somewhat in their findings in regard to the relationship between age and transgender identification. In a
2012 Massachusetts probability sample study researchers found that, overall, adults who identify as transgender
were somewhat younger than non-transgender individuals.2 A more recent study utilizing data from 19 states found
no significant difference in age between transgender and non-transgender adults.3
Currently, the best available data about transgender people come from surveys of adults. Less is known about the
proportion of youth that identify as transgender in the United States. Studies based on probability and non-probability survey samples at the local, state, and national levels have produced a range of findings in regard to the
proportion of youth that identify as transgender. Wilson and colleagues found that among existing studies that
measured transgender identity among youth, using local probability surveys or national convenience samples, the
percentage of youth that identified as transgender ranged from 1.3% to 3.2%.4
In this report, we utilize data from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a national,
state-administered survey, on which 19 states included a transgender identity question in 2014. An additional eight
states collected data on transgender identity in 2015. In prior reports in this series, we estimated the size and the
racial and ethnic composition of the adult population that identifies as transgender.5 In this report, we estimate that,
in addition to 0.6% of U.S. adults (1.4 million), 0.7% of youth ages 13 to 17, about 150,000 youth, would identify as
transgender. In addition, we find that, overall, the estimated population of individuals over the age of 13 years who
identify as transgender appears similar to the general U.S. population in regard to its age distribution. A detailed
description of the methodology for this report is included in the Appendix.
AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

2

 AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER
IN THE UNITED STATES
In this report, we consider the age composition of individuals who identify as transgender in two ways: the age
distribution of those who identify as transgender and the percentage out of each age group that identifies as
transgender. In Table 1, the estimated age distribution of those who identify as transgender, ages 13 and older, in
the United States is provided alongside the age distribution of the general population. In keeping with prior studies,
we find that the population of individuals who identify as transgender appears similar to the U.S. general population
in regard to age. For instance, of those ages 13 and older, an estimated 10% of the transgender-identified
population is 13 to 17 years of age, whereas 8% of the U.S. general population is 13 to 17 years of age.
Figure 2. Estimated Age Distribution for the Transgender-Identified Population and
the General Population in the United States6

13 to 17

18 to 24

8%
10%

U.S. General Population
U.S. Transgender-Identified Population

12%
13%
64%
63%

25 to 64

65 and older

16%
14%

Based on our prior study, an estimated 0.7% of adults between the ages of 18 and 24 identify as transgender,
whereas 0.6% of adults age 25 to 64 and 0.5% of adults age 65 or older identify as transgender.7 In this study,
we add a new estimate for the number and percentage of transgender youth, ages 13 to 17, that would identify as
transgender. We estimate that 0.7% of youth ages 13 to 17, about 150,000 youth, would identify as transgender, in
addition to 0.6% (or about 1.4 million) adults.8 The 95% credible intervals around these national and state estimates
are presented in Table A1 of the Appendix. For youth ages 13 to 17 that identify as transgender, the 95% credible
interval ranges from 0.54% as the lower bound to 1.00% as the upper bound for the percentage of youth that
identify as transgender.

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

3

 Table 1. Estimated Number and Percentage of Individuals who Identify as Transgender by Age
Age
State

United States
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona

13 to 17

18 to 24

25 to 64

65 and older

All Adults
(ages 18+)

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

149,750

0.73%

205,850

0.66%

967,100

0.58%

217,050

0.50%

1,397,150

0.58%

2,500

0.77%

3,250

0.67%

15,450

0.61%

3,700

0.53%

22,500

0.61%

350

0.70%

500

0.60%

1,950

0.48%

250

0.42%

2,700

0.49%

3,650

0.81%

4,700

0.72%

20,800

0.63%

4,850

0.50%

30,550

0.62%

Arkansas

1,450

0.75%

1,850

0.65%

9,150

0.61%

2,300

0.52%

13,400

0.60%

California

22,200

0.85%

33,450

0.84%

154,750

0.77%

29,050

0.63%

218,400

0.76%

Colorado

1,800

0.54%

3,200

0.63%

14,900

0.53%

2,750

0.45%

20,850

0.53%

Connecticut

950

0.39%

1,750

0.52%

8,450

0.44%

2,100

0.40%

12,400

0.44%

Delaware

400

0.74%

700

0.73%

3,050

0.64%

800

0.55%

4,550

0.64%

District of Columbia

300

1.12%

2,600

3.14%

9,900

2.66%

1,950

2.72%

14,550

2.77%

Florida

9,050

0.78%

13,450

0.75%

66,750

0.67%

19,350

0.55%

100,300

0.66%

Georgia

4,950

0.71%

8,700

0.86%

39,500

0.75%

7,450

0.66%

55,650

0.75%

Hawaii

850

1.01%

1,200

0.89%

5,700

0.77%

1,550

0.72%

8,450

0.78%

Idaho

700

0.61%

750

0.47%

3,250

0.41%

750

0.35%

4,750

0.41%

Illinois

5,700

0.65%

7,150

0.57%

34,500

0.50%

7,750

0.46%

49,750

0.51%

Indiana

3,350

0.74%

4,100

0.62%

18,950

0.56%

4,450

0.50%

27,600

0.56%

800

0.39%

1,100

0.35%

4,900

0.31%

1,350

0.29%

7,400

0.31%

Kansas

1,300

0.66%

1,500

0.49%

6,300

0.43%

1,500

0.38%

9,300

0.43%

Kentucky

1,850

0.65%

2,400

0.57%

12,200

0.52%

3,000

0.49%

17,700

0.53%

Louisiana

2,350

0.76%

3,150

0.66%

14,550

0.60%

3,100

0.52%

20,900

0.60%

Iowa

Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts

450

0.55%

650

0.56%

3,650

0.50%

1,050

0.45%

5,350

0.50%

2,300

0.60%

3,200

0.57%

15,650

0.49%

3,300

0.43%

22,300

0.49%

2,150

0.52%

4,550

0.66%

20,150

0.56%

5,050

0.53%

29,900

0.57%

Michigan

3,950

0.59%

4,800

0.48%

22,400

0.43%

5,600

0.39%

32,900

0.43%

Minnesota

3,000

0.85%

3,450

0.69%

16,750

0.58%

3,950

0.54%

24,250

0.59%

Mississippi

1,600

0.77%

2,100

0.66%

9,400

0.62%

2,150

0.53%

13,650

0.61%

Missouri

2,500

0.63%

3,600

0.60%

17,000

0.54%

4,400

0.50%

25,050

0.54%

Montana

300

0.49%

400

0.40%

1,800

0.34%

450

0.30%

2,700

0.34%

Nebraska

750

0.62%

800

0.44%

3,650

0.39%

900

0.35%

5,400

0.39%

1,300

0.74%

1,750

0.70%

9,100

0.61%

1,750

0.49%

12,700

0.61%

450

0.55%

650

0.50%

3,100

0.43%

750

0.39%

4,500

0.43%

3,850

0.65%

3,950

0.51%

21,050

0.44%

5,050

0.41%

30,100

0.44%

New Mexico

1,200

0.88%

1,800

0.85%

8,000

0.75%

1,850

0.62%

11,750

0.75%

New York

9,750

0.79%

11,150

0.56%

54,150

0.51%

12,850

0.47%

78,600

0.51%

North Carolina

4,650

0.74%

6,600

0.68%

31,050

0.60%

7,150

0.53%

44,750

0.60%

200

0.53%

300

0.34%

1,050

0.30%

300

0.29%

1,650

0.30%

Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey

North Dakota

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

4

 Age
State

13 to 17

18 to 24

25 to 64

65 and older

All Adults
(ages 18+)

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

5,900

0.76%

5,550

0.50%

27,150

0.45%

7,000

0.41%

39,950

0.45%

Oklahoma

2,100

0.83%

2,800

0.72%

12,600

0.64%

2,900

0.55%

18,350

0.64%

Oregon

1,700

0.70%

2,800

0.76%

13,700

0.65%

3,150

0.55%

19,750

0.65%

5,250

0.65%

6,100

0.48%

29,250

0.44%

8,250

0.40%

43,800

0.44%

Ohio

Pennsylvania
Rhode Island

400

0.62%

650

0.56%

2,800

0.51%

750

0.46%

4,250

0.51%

South Carolina

2,150

0.73%

3,150

0.64%

14,250

0.58%

3,450

0.50%

21,000

0.58%

South Dakota

300

0.57%

350

0.39%

1,400

0.34%

350

0.30%

2,150

0.34%

Tennessee

3,150

0.74%

4,250

0.68%

21,550

0.63%

5,150

0.56%

31,200

0.63%

Texas

13,800

0.73%

19,600

0.73%

88,950

0.66%

15,700

0.55%

125,350

0.66%

Utah

1,400

0.61%

1,350

0.42%

4,950

0.36%

800

0.30%

7,200

0.36%

Vermont

250

0.71%

450

0.67%

2,000

0.59%

550

0.53%

3,000

0.59%

Virginia

4,150

0.80%

5,150

0.62%

24,000

0.54%

5,200

0.49%

34,500

0.55%

Washington

3,100

0.70%

4,850

0.73%

23,150

0.62%

4,700

0.52%

32,850

0.62%

West Virginia

1,150

1.04%

750

0.44%

4,150

0.42%

1,200

0.38%

6,100

0.42%

Wisconsin

1,850

0.50%

2,700

0.49%

13,150

0.43%

3,250

0.39%

19,150

0.43%

Wyoming

200

0.50%

200

0.37%

1,000

0.32%

200

0.29%

1,400

0.32%

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

5

 The following figure provides a visual representation of the number of youth, ages 13 to 17, that would identify
as transgender in each state. Mirroring the relative population size of U.S. states, the largest populations of
transgender youth are found in California, Texas, New York, and Florida. The smallest populations of trans youth are
found in North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.
Figure 3. Estimated Number of Youth (13 to 17) That Would Identify as Transgender in the United States

22,200

200

DISCUSSION
In this report, we utilized data from adults ages 18 and older in the BRFSS to estimate the proportion of youth
who would identify as transgender on an anonymous survey within all 50 states, and the District of Columbia.
The estimation procedure assumes an equal probability for individuals to identify as transgender within each age
group included in the model. Therefore, the 13 to 17 year old age group is assumed to have the same proportion
of those who would identify as transgender across the individual ages in that group. Prior research suggests
that transgender youth begin to “feel different” in regard to their gender and understand themselves to be
transgender at young ages, such as at four years old.9 Calculations by the authors using existing datasets that
identify transgender youth under 18 suggest that the highest proportions of youth who identify as transgender
occur around ages 15 to 17.10 Therefore, our model may underestimate the proportion of 15 to 17 yrs olds who
would identify as transgender and overestimate the proportion of those who are 13 and 14 who would identify as
transgender. Current available data sources do not allow us to take this non-linear relationship into account in our
model. We present in this report the best available estimates of youth who would identify as transgender in the
United States at this time. As new data collection efforts emerge at the state and national levels, estimates can
continue to be refined to improve our understanding of the size and characteristics of the transgender population
across all ages.

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

6

 APPENDIX: METHODOLOGY AND CREDIBLE INTERVALS OF
POPULATION ESTIMATES
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) collects state-specific data on demographic characteristics
and health-related factors across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the United States.
The survey is designed to be representative within each state. The survey is conducted by an interviewer via
landline and cellular telephone. The national response rate for the 2014 BRFSS was 48.7% for landline telephones
and 40.5% for cellular telephones, and the national response rate for the 2015 BRFSS was 48.2% for landline
telephones and 47.2% for cellular telephones (American Association of Public Opinion Research, Response Rate
calculation 4).
The BRFSS contains optional module questionnaires in addition to its standard questionnaire for each state.11
The 2014 BRFSS had 19 optional modules that states were able to opt-into, and the 2015 BRFSS had 24 optional
modules that states were able to opt-into. One of the modules contained the following question:
Do you consider yourself to be transgender?
YES
NO
[If Yes] Do you consider yourself to be male-to-female, female-to-male, or gender non-conforming?
If the interviewer is asked for a definition of transgender, they respond:
Some people describe themselves as transgender when they experience a different gender identity from
their sex at birth. For example, a person born into a male body, but who feels female or lives as a woman
would be transgender. Some transgender people change their physical appearance so that it matches
their internal gender identity. Some transgender people take hormones and some have surgery. A
transgender person may be of any sexual orientation – straight, gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
Since this question is included in an optional module, some states asked this question while others did not.
The states that did ask this question in 2014 include: Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin,
and Wyoming. In total, 0.52% of 2014 BRFSS respondents in these states identified as transgender, and 151,456
respondents answered this question. The states that asked this question in 2015 include: Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada,
New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In total, 0.58% of 2015 BRFSS
respondents in these states identified as transgender, and 160,638 respondents answered this question.
To estimate the population by state and age groups, we relied on multilevel regression and post-stratification.12
The method fits a multilevel logistic regression to the data to predict the likelihood that an individual identifies
as transgender on demographic attributes about the respondents (e.g., race and ethnicity; age cohorts; and
educational attainment). State and regional characteristics were accounted for and state-level characteristics were
included to add information about how states differ from one another (e.g., racial composition, median income,
percentage of households that are of same-sex couples, and the percentage of the population that identifies
as Evangelical). This method has been applied to measure statewide political attitudes13 and to measure Jewish
Populations.14 Further, the estimation strategy has undergone rigorous evaluation by other scholars, and these
evaluations often show that the method produces reliable and valid estimates.15 While the estimation approach is
not without its criticisms,16 the method remains the best available approach to perform this estimation procedure.

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

7

 The estimates of transgender identification for those 18 years or older come from a previous report on the
population identifying as transgender, based solely on the 2014 BRFSS.17 The present report extends the application
of the estimation technique to estimate the size and percentage of 13-17 year olds who identify as transgender.
First, we include both the 2014 and 2015 BRFSS in a pooled analysis. We incorporate all of the respondents, even
though respondents in only 27 states received the gender identity question. By doing so, we impute the states that
did not ask the gender identity question by modeling the probability that a respondent identifies as transgender.
The hierarchical model still incorporates the statewide covariates to increase precision in the estimation.18 The 13-17
year old model was estimated using a maximum likelihood model with Laplace-approximation. A posterior draw
5,000 simulations from the fitted model is used to calculate confidence intervals.
Second, 13-17 year olds are not measured directly in the BRFSS, as it is a survey for those aged 18 years or more.
We relied on the data patterns in age to extrapolate an estimate for those who are 13-17 years old. We did this
by fitting the multilevel model as previously described and extracting the age random effects. This comprises
13 estimated effects for each age grouping (e.g., 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64,
65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80 and over). These age random effects were subsequently analyzed with the use of a
polynomial regression to best model the pattern of these effects (see Figure A.1). The third order regression was
used to predict what the estimated effect would be had we had 13-17 year olds. This in turn, reflects our best
estimate, based on these data, on the patterns of younger age cohorts in identifying as transgender. This approach
allows the relationship between age and the probability of identifying as transgender to be non-linear, which is
consistent with previous findings. This assumes that the patterns of identifying among adults, especially among
18-24 year olds can be used to infer patterns among 13-17 year olds. This may also be an underestimate if younger
cohorts identify as transgender at a sharply higher rate than 18-24 year olds. We subsequently used the estimate
and standard error of the fitted effect for 13-17 year olds as a part of the model prediction.
Third, we post-stratified the model results to official population cross-tabulations from the ACS 3-year estimates
(2011-2013). This way the model predictions for age, race and ethnicity, and statewide context are generalized to
official counts of the number of individuals matching each demographic type.
Figure A.1. Age Random Effects Fitted to a Polynomial Regression Used to Extrapolate to the
13-17 Year Old Age Effect
.6

.2

0

80
+

9
30
-3
4
35
-3
9
40
-4
4
45
-4
9
50
-5
4
55
-5
9
60
-6
4
65
-6
9
70
-7
4
75
-7
9

25
-2

17
18
-2
4

-.2
13
-

Predicted Effect

.4

Age Group
Prediction

Estimated effect

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

8

 In the table below, 95% credible intervals are provided for the population estimates by age. A credible interval is
a Bayesian equivalent of a confidence interval. A 95% credible interval represents the upper and lower bounds
where there is 0.95 probability an estimate falls between them. For 13-17 year olds, the maximum likelihood
approximation of a credible interval is used from 5,000 simulations.
Table A1. Estimated Number and Percentage That Identify as Transgender by Age and State of Residence,
95% Credible Intervals
Age
State

13-17

18-24

25-64

65+

All Adults (18+)

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[112,032,
209,008]

[0.54%,
1.00%]

[121,074,
354,454]

[0.39%,
1.13%]

[569,753,
1,649,712]

[0.34%,
1.00%]

[132,175,
360,271]

[0.31%,
0.84%]

[854,066,
2,293,511]

[0.36%,
0.95%]

[1,401,
4,413]

[0.43%,
1.37%]

[1,624,
7,089]

[0.33%,
1.46%]

[7,630,
32,564]

[0.30%,
1.29%]

[1,868,
7,887]

[0.27%,
1.13%]

[11,487,
46,858]

[0.31%,
1.27%]

Alaska

[232,
541]

[0.46%,
1.07%]

[282,
806]

[0.35%,
0.99%]

[1,132,
3,210]

[0.28%,
0.81%]

[157,
434]

[0.25%,
0.69%]

[1,634,
4,323]

[0.3%,
0.8%]

Arizona

[2,451,
5,473]

[0.55%,
1.22%]

[2,562,
8,556]

[0.39%,
1.31%]

[11,120,
37,886]

[0.34%,
1.14%]

[2,708,
8,560]

[0.28%,
0.88%]

[17,137,
53,889]

[0.35%,
1.09%]

Arkansas

[866,
2,504]

[0.44%,
1.27%]

[966,
3,550]

[0.34%,
1.23%]

[4,614,
17,456]

[0.31%,
1.16%]

[1,185,
4,384]

[0.27%,
0.99%]

[6,898,
25,072]

[0.31%,
1.12%]

California

[15,459,
31,867]

[0.59%,
1.21%]

[18,464,
60,029]

[0.46%,
1.50%]

[83,407,
274,478]

[0.41%,
1.36%]

[15,871,
51,075]

[0.35%,
1.11%]

[120,074,
378,513]

[0.42%,
1.31%]

Colorado

[1,184,
2,821]

[0.35%,
0.84%]

[1,796,
5,616]

[0.35%,
1.10%]

[8,404,
25,994]

[0.30%,
0.92%]

[1,595,
4,612]

[0.26%,
0.76%]

[12,094,
35,295]

[0.31%,
0.89%]

Connecticut

[604,
1,457]

[0.25%,
0.61%]

[1,024,
2,942]

[0.30%,
0.86%]

[4,988,
14,281]

[0.26%,
0.74%]

[1,253,
3,458]

[0.24%,
0.65%]

[7,454,
19,824]

[0.27%,
0.71%]

Delaware

[256,
689]

[0.45%,
1.22%]

[451,
974]

[0.49%,
1.05%]

[2,061,
4,417]

[0.43%,
0.92%]

[541,
1,074]

[0.38%,
0.76%]

[3,195,
6,176]

[0.45%,
0.87%]

District of
Columbia

[80,
1,027]

[0.31%,
3.96%]

[470,
11,880]

[0.57%,
14.48%]

[1,786,
47,078]

[0.48%,
12.65%]

[361,
9,351]

[0.51%,
13.10%]

[2,608,
66,391]

[0.5%,
12.63%]

Florida

[6,429,
12,862]

[0.55%,
1.11%]

[7,554,
23,144]

[0.42%,
1.29%]

[37,404,
114,026]

[0.37%,
1.14%]

[11,453,
32,341]

[0.33%,
0.92%]

[58,364,
163,960]

[0.38%,
1.07%]

Georgia

[3,199,
7,541]

[0.46%,
1.09%]

[4,847,
16,177]

[0.48%,
1.59%]

[21,496,
71,304]

[0.41%,
1.35%]

[4,147,
13,309]

[0.37%,
1.17%]

[31,243,
97,981]

[0.42%,
1.32%]

Hawaii

[426,
1,693]

[0.51%,
2.01%]

[845,
1,662]

[0.62%,
1.23%]

[4,005,
7,975]

[0.54%,
1.08%]

[1,088,
2,098]

[0.51%,
0.99%]

[6,310,
11,215]

[0.58%,
1.03%]

Idaho

[387,
1,346]

[0.33%,
1.15%]

[500,
1,087]

[0.32%,
0.69%]

[2,224,
4,882]

[0.28%,
0.61%]

[525,
1,068]

[0.25%,
0.50%]

[3,403,
6,800]

[0.29%,
0.58%]

Illinois

[3,646,
9,031]

[0.41%,
1.03%]

[4,255,
11,778]

[0.34%,
0.94%]

[20,559,
55,749]

[0.30%,
0.81%]

[4,668,
12,533]

[0.28%,
0.74%]

[30,519,
77,228]

[0.31%,
0.79%]

United States

Alabama

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

9

 Age
State

13-17

18-24

25-64

65+

All Adults (18+)

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[2,114,
5,262]

[0.47%,
1.17%]

[3,045,
5,579]

[0.46%,
0.84%]

[14,012,
25,792]

[0.41%,
0.76%]

[3,457,
5,802]

[0.39%,
0.65%]

[21,867,
35,060]

[0.44%,
0.71%]

Iowa

[418,
1,477]

[0.21%,
0.74%]

[656,
1,617]

[0.21%,
0.52%]

[2,963,
7,376]

[0.19%,
0.47%]

[841,
1,939]

[0.18%,
0.41%]

[4,558,
10,398]

[0.19%,
0.44%]

Kansas

[790,
2,110]

[0.40%,
1.08%]

[1,065,
1,978]

[0.36%,
0.66%]

[4,565,
8,465]

[0.31%,
0.58%]

[1,130,
1,919]

[0.29%,
0.49%]

[7,183,
11,706]

[0.33%,
0.54%]

Kentucky

[953,
3,583]

[0.33%,
1.26%]

[1,665,
3,374]

[0.39%,
0.80%]

[8,649,
16,904]

[0.37%,
0.73%]

[2,190,
3,949]

[0.36%,
0.64%]

[13,092,
23,060]

[0.39%,
0.69%]

Louisiana

[1,367,
4,104]

[0.45%,
1.34%]

[2,204,
4,371]

[0.46%,
0.92%]

[10,310,
20,236]

[0.43%,
0.84%]

[2,260,
4,181]

[0.38%,
0.71%]

[15,582,
27,230]

[0.45%,
0.78%]

Maine

[269,
736]

[0.33%,
0.91%]

[378,
1,146]

[0.32%,
0.98%]

[2,120,
6,268]

[0.29%,
0.87%]

[607,
1,739]

[0.27%,
0.77%]

[3,202,
8,895]

[0.3%,
0.84%]

Maryland

[1,311,
4,127]

[0.34%,
1.08%]

[2,303,
4,398]

[0.41%,
0.78%]

[11,347,
21,316]

[0.35%,
0.66%]

[2,461,
4,307]

[0.32%,
0.57%]

[17,177,
28,088]

[0.38%,
0.62%]

Massachusetts

[1,223,
3,927]

[0.29%,
0.93%]

[2,568,
7,807]

[0.37%,
1.13%]

[11,326,
34,087]

[0.31%,
0.95%]

[2,832,
8,391]

[0.30%,
0.88%]

[17,251,
49,307]

[0.33%,
0.94%]

Michigan

[2,608,
6,040]

[0.39%,
0.89%]

[2,655,
7,870]

[0.27%,
0.79%]

[12,593,
37,168]

[0.24%,
0.72%]

[3,240,
8,999]

[0.23%,
0.63%]

[19,132,
52,059]

[0.25%,
0.68%]

Minnesota

[1,696,
5,386]

[0.48%,
1.52%]

[2,541,
4,552]

[0.51%,
0.91%]

[12,539,
22,498]

[0.44%,
0.78%]

[3,043,
5,080]

[0.42%,
0.70%]

[19,368,
30,211]

[0.47%,
0.74%]

Mississippi

[901,
2,873]

[0.43%,
1.37%]

[1,009,
4,310]

[0.32%,
1.37%]

[4,490,
19,158]

[0.29%,
1.26%]

[1,036,
4,327]

[0.26%,
1.08%]

[6,731,
27,122]

[0.3%,
1.21%]

Missouri

[1,285,
4,988]

[0.32%,
1.26%]

[1,876,
6,423]

[0.32%,
1.08%]

[8,975,
30,421]

[0.29%,
0.97%]

[2,324,
7,535]

[0.26%,
0.85%]

[13,512,
43,611]

[0.29%,
0.94%]

Montana

[170,
578]

[0.27%,
0.91%]

[266,
572]

[0.27%,
0.58%]

[1,222,
2,592]

[0.23%,
0.49%]

[323,
650]

[0.21%,
0.41%]

[1,880,
3,669]

[0.24%,
0.47%]

Nebraska

[522,
1,134]

[0.42%,
0.91%]

[473,
1,264]

[0.25%,
0.68%]

[2,143,
5,820]

[0.23%,
0.61%]

[551,
1,389]

[0.21%,
0.54%]

[3,247,
8,207]

[0.23%,
0.59%]

[738,
2,374]

[0.41%,
1.33%]

[1,135,
2,646]

[0.45%,
1.04%]

[5,889,
13,545]

[0.40%,
0.92%]

[1,150,
2,547]

[0.32%,
0.71%]

[8,570,
18,018]

[0.41%,
0.86%]

[293,
758]

[0.34%,
0.88%]

[356,
1,067]

[0.28%,
0.85%]

[1,798,
5,237]

[0.25%,
0.72%]

[450,
1,244]

[0.23%,
0.64%]

[2,693,
7,362]

[0.26%,
0.7%]

New Jersey

[2,696,
5,550]

[0.45%,
0.93%]

[2,265,
6,732]

[0.29%,
0.86%]

[12,204,
36,508]

[0.25%,
0.76%]

[3,013,
8,517]

[0.24%,
0.68%]

[17,981,
49,987]

[0.26%,
0.73%]

New Mexico

[861,
1,746]

[0.62%,
1.25%]

[988,
3,255]

[0.46%,
1.53%]

[4,389,
14,044]

[0.41%,
1.32%]

[1,011,
3,160]

[0.34%,
1.07%]

[6,613,
19,959]

[0.42%,
1.27%]

New York

[5,688,
16,963]

[0.46%,
1.37%]

[7,732,
15,788]

[0.39%,
0.79%]

[37,363,
76,111]

[0.35%,
0.72%]

[9,137,
17,614]

[0.33%,
0.64%]

[57,043,
103,813]

[0.37%,
0.68%]

North Carolina

[3,148,
6,958]

[0.50%,
1.10%]

[3,765,
11,609]

[0.39%,
1.19%]

[17,757,
54,557]

[0.34%,
1.06%]

[4,194,
12,219]

[0.31%,
0.91%]

[26,299,
76,786]

[0.35%,
1.03%]

Indiana

Nevada
New Hampshire

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

10

 Age
State

13-17

18-24

25-64

65+

All Adults (18+)

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[LB, UB]
Number

[LB, UB]
Percent

[133,
367]

[0.32%,
0.89%]

[170,
531]

[0.19%,
0.59%]

[593,
1,834]

[0.17%,
0.51%]

[170,
498]

[0.17%,
0.50%]

[961,
2,785]

[0.18%,
0.51%]

Ohio

[3,387,
10,463]

[0.44%,
1.35%]

[4,001,
7,561]

[0.36%,
0.68%]

[19,701,
36,836]

[0.32%,
0.61%]

[5,251,
9,125]

[0.31%,
0.54%]

[30,705,
50,183]

[0.35%,
0.56%]

Oklahoma

[1,194,
3,680]

[0.47%,
1.46%]

[1,351,
6,063]

[0.35%,
1.56%]

[6,026,
26,649]

[0.31%,
1.36%]

[1,438,
6,011]

[0.27%,
1.13%]

[9,049,
37,798]

[0.31%,
1.31%]

Oregon

[1,090,
2,620]

[0.45%,
1.08%]

[1,512,
5,190]

[0.41%,
1.42%]

[7,380,
25,644]

[0.35%,
1.22%]

[1,714,
5,934]

[0.30%,
1.02%]

[10,774,
36,440]

[0.35%,
1.2%]

Pennsylvania

[3,024,
9,148]

[0.37%,
1.13%]

[4,284,
8,404]

[0.34%,
0.67%]

[21,090,
40,686]

[0.31%,
0.60%]

[6,172,
10,959]

[0.30%,
0.54%]

[33,506,
56,799]

[0.33%,
0.57%]

Rhode Island

[276,
599]

[0.43%,
0.93%]

[389,
1,143]

[0.32%,
0.95%]

[1,608,
4,817]

[0.29%,
0.87%]

[424,
1,219]

[0.27%,
0.77%]

[2,493,
6,979]

[0.3%,
0.84%]

[1,397,
3,389]

[0.47%,
1.14%]

[1,784,
5,944]

[0.36%,
1.21%]

[7,977,
26,549]

[0.32%,
1.08%]

[1,963,
6,533]

[0.28%,
0.94%]

[12,139,
38,343]

[0.33%,
1.05%]

[189,
483]

[0.35%,
0.90%]

[188,
577]

[0.22%,
0.69%]

[827,
2,452]

[0.20%,
0.58%]

[217,
631]

[0.18%,
0.52%]

[1,279,
3,592]

[0.2%,
0.57%]

[1,833,
5,323]

[0.43%,
1.26%]

[2,220,
8,664]

[0.36%,
1.39%]

[11,036,
42,384]

[0.32%,
1.24%]

[2,740,
9,962]

[0.30%,
1.09%]

[16,601,
60,319]

[0.33%,
1.22%]

Texas

[8,178,
23,706]

[0.43%,
1.26%]

[10,763,
33,983]

[0.40%,
1.27%]

[49,965,
156,972]

[0.37%,
1.16%]

[8,906,
27,059]

[0.31%,
0.95%]

[71,791,
212,200]

[0.38%,
1.11%]

Utah

[706,
2,858]

[0.31%,
1.25%]

[617,
3,133]

[0.19%,
0.96%]

[2,244,
11,329]

[0.16%,
0.83%]

[385,
1,804]

[0.14%,
0.67%]

[3,338,
16,157]

[0.17%,
0.82%]

[139,
565]

[0.36%,
1.46%]

[299,
629]

[0.46%,
0.96%]

[1,364,
2,844]

[0.40%,
0.84%]

[372,
745]

[0.38%,
0.75%]

[2,126,
4,034]

[0.42%,
0.8%]

Virginia

[2,427,
7,173]

[0.47%,
1.39%]

[3,798,
6,980]

[0.46%,
0.85%]

[17,590,
33,074]

[0.40%,
0.75%]

[3,987,
7,026]

[0.38%,
0.66%]

[2,6945,
44,697]

[0.43%,
0.71%]

Washington

[2,154,
4,588]

[0.48%,
1.03%]

[2,662,
8,550]

[0.40%,
1.29%]

[12,748,
41,018]

[0.34%,
1.10%]

[2,655,
8,291]

[0.29%,
0.91%]

[18,574,
57,196]

[0.35%,
1.08%]

West Virginia

[647,
2,140]

[0.57%,
1.90%]

[427,
1,325]

[0.25%,
0.76%]

[2,347,
7,299]

[0.24%,
0.74%]

[687,
2,040]

[0.22%,
0.66%]

[3,518,
10,477]

[0.24%,
0.71%]

Wisconsin

[1,037,
3,312]

[0.28%,
0.88%]

[1,883,
3,799]

[0.34%,
0.69%]

[9,141,
18,414]

[0.30%,
0.61%]

[2,287,
4,434]

[0.28%,
0.54%]

[13,920,
25,364]

[0.32%,
0.58%]

[99,
363]

[0.26%,
0.95%]

[135,
328]

[0.23%,
0.57%]

[634,
1,509]

[0.21%,
0.49%]

[141,
308]

[0.19%,
0.41%]

[945,
2,073]

[0.22%,
0.47%]

North Dakota

South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee

Vermont

Wyoming

*Note: LB=95% Lower bound; UB=95% Upper bound

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

11

 ENDNOTES
1  Flores, A. R., Herman, J. L., Gates, G. J., & Brown, T. N. T. (2016). How Many Adults Identify as Transgender in the United
States? Los Angeles, CA: The Williams Institute; Flores, A. R., Herman, J. L., & Brown, T. N. T. (2016). Race and Ethnicity of Adults
who Identify as Transgender in the United States. Los Angeles, CA: The Williams Institute.
2  Conron, K.J., Scott, G., Stowell, G.S., and Landers, S. J. (2012). Transgender Health in Massachusetts: Results from a
Household Probability Sample of Adults. American Journal of Public Health, 102(1), 118-122.
3  Crissman, H.P., Berger, M.B., Graham, L.F., and Dalton, V.K. (2017). Transgender Demographics: A Household Probability
Sample of US Adults. American Journal of Public Health. Advance online publication. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303571.
4  Wilson, B. D. M., & Kastanis, A. (2015). Sexual and gender minority disproportionality and disparities in child welfare: A population-based study. Children and Youth Services Review, 58, 11–17.
5 

See note #1.

6 

The general population figures were derived from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2011-2013 3-year
PUMS.

7  Flores, A. R., Herman, J. L., Gates, G. J., & Brown, T. N. T. (2016). How Many Adults Identify as Transgender in the United
States? Los Angeles, CA: The Williams Institute.
8 

See note #7.

9 

Grossman, A.H., D’Augelli, A.R., & Salter, N.P. (2006). Male-to-Female Transgender Youth: Gender Expression Milestones,
Gender Atypicality, Victimization, and Parents’ Responses. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 2(1), 71-92.

10  Calculations by the authors using the following -available datasets: California Healthy Kids Survey, Los Angeles Foster Youth
Survey, 2006 Boston Youth Survey, and Our Health Matters: Boston LGBT Youth of Color Community Survey.
11 

For more detailed information on gender identity data collection in the BRFSS, see Baker, K.E. & Hughes, M. (2016). Sexual
Orientation and Gender Identity Data Collection in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Washington, DC: The Center
for American Progress, available at https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/29090401/BRFSSdatacollectbrief-03.31.16.pdf.

12  Park, D.K., Gelman, A., & Bafumi, J. (2004). Bayesian multilevel estimation with poststratification: State-level estimates from
national polls. Political Analysis, 12, 375-385.
13 

Flores A.R., & Barclay, S. (2015). Trends in public support for marriage for same-sex couples by state. Los Angeles, CA: The
Williams Institute, UCLA.

14 

Saxe, L., & Tighe, E. (2013). Estimating and understanding the Jewish population in the United States: A program of
research. Contemporary Jewry, 33(1), 43-62; Tighe, E., Livert, D., Barnett, M., & Saxe, L. (2010). Cross-survey analysis to estimate
low-incidence religious groups. Sociological Methods & Research, 39(1), 56-82.

15  Lax, J.R., & Phillips, J.H. (2009). How should we estimate public opinion in the states? American Journal of Political Science,
53(1), 107-121; Warshaw, C., & Rodden, J. (2012). How should we measure district-level public opinion on individual issues?
Journal of Politics, 74(1), 203-219.
16  Buttice, M.K., & Highton, B. (2013). How does multilevel regression and poststratification perform with conventional surveys?
Political Analysis, 24(4), 449-467; Toshokov, D. (2015). Exploring performance of multilevel modeling and poststratification with
Eurobarometer data. Political Analysis, 23(3), 455-460.
17 

See note #7.

18 

See Flores, A.R. (2016). Estimating the adult population that identifies as transgender in the BRFSS. Los Angeles, CA: The
Williams Institute, UCLA.

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

12

 ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jody L. Herman, Ph.D. is a Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and
Public Administration from The George Washington University.
Andrew R. Flores, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Government at Mills College. He holds a Ph.D. in Political
Science from the University of California, Riverside.
Taylor N. T. Brown, MPP is a Public Policy Analyst at the Williams Institute. He holds a Master of Public Policy from
The University of Virginia.
Bianca D.M. Wilson, Ph.D. is the Rabbi Barbara Zacky Senior Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute. She
holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the Community and Prevention Research program at the University of Illinois at
Chicago.
Kerith J. Conron, Sc.D. is the Blachford-Cooper Distinguished Scholar and Research Director at the Williams
Institute. She holds a Sc.D. from Harvard School of Public Health and a MPH from Boston University School of
Public Health.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law
Box 951476
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1476
(310) 267-4382
williamsinstitute@law.ucla.edu
http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu

Suggested citation:
Herman, J.L., Flores, A.R., Brown, T.N.T., Wilson, B.D.M., & Conron, K.J. (2017). Age of Individuals who Identify as
Transgender in the United States. Los Angeles, CA: The Williams Institute.

AGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER IN THE UNITED STATES 

  

13