A new Gallup World Poll released Thursday finds that a growing share of adults worldwide believe their communities are welcoming for minority groups, with notable gains for gay and lesbian populations.
The 2025 survey, conducted across roughly 140 countries, shows that 74% of respondents say their community is a good place for racial and ethnic minorities, 66% for immigrants, and 40% for gay or lesbian individuals. While acceptance for racial minorities and immigrants remains high, the biggest shift has been for LGBTQ+ populations: in 2006, only 23% said their community was good for gay and lesbian people.
Gallup researchers note that higher acceptance of minorities correlates with broader life satisfaction. In areas where residents view their community as inclusive for all three groups, more people report “thriving” overall. Positive perceptions also link to higher city satisfaction, safety, and respect for women and children, though the study cautions this doesn’t prove causation.
In the United States, immigrants themselves are the most optimistic: 96% of foreign-born residents say their community is good for immigrants, compared to 81% of U.S.-born respondents. Globally, the median for immigrants saying their community is welcoming is 78%.
Countries like Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada see 91% of immigrants expressing positive views, followed closely by Spain, Australia, Luxembourg, and New Zealand. The data underscores how local conditions shape perceptions of inclusion, even as global attitudes improve.
The poll, conducted from March 27 to December 5, surveyed about 1,000 people per country, with margins of error between 2.2 and 5.5 percentage points. This trend mirrors other Gallup findings, such as the recent plummeting Ukrainian approval of U.S. leadership, showing how public opinion shifts amid geopolitical and social changes.
While the survey doesn’t establish cause and effect, it suggests that inclusive communities foster broader well-being—a finding that policymakers may weigh against debates over immigration and minority rights, especially as global summits on political violence and efforts to dismantle international institutions dominate headlines.
