The Municipal Equality Index (MEI) examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies, and services are of the 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 2016 MEI is the fifth annual edition and rates a total of 506 cities from every state in the nation. The number of cities rated increased by 98 cities from 2015 and increased by 369 cities since 2012.
