SAN FRANCISCO — A study by Kink University has named Portland, Ore., the “kinkiest city” in the U.S., beating out more well-established cities like New York and San Francisco.
The study evaluated the BDSM, fetish and polyamorous factors of the fifty largest cities in the U.S. using four metrics: the total size of the kink-identified population, the size of the population relative to the city's size, the number of resources available for kink-identified people, and the adult entertainment purchases in each city.
At 3.99 percent, Portland has the highest percentage of kink-identified people of any city in the U.S., with a community whose total population (24,360) rivals that of much larger cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Kink University says the city has a wealth of resources for BDSM, fetish and polyamorous-identified people, including “a strong professional base of lawyers, doctors and therapists friendly to issues facing kink populations and a vibrant social and intellectual scene for kinksters.”
“San Francisco is usually seen as the center of kink life in the U.S., but rising housing costs resulting from the tech boom seem to have pushed the community northward,” said Mike Stabile, a spokesperson for Kink University.
In the course of the study, Kink University researchers found other statistical anomalies including that residents of Washington, D.C., are more likely to purchase BDSM and fetish entertainment than any other city in the country, and that El Paso is the least kinky city in the U.S..
Kink University conducted the study in advance of its “50 Skills of Grey Symposium,” which will educate the kink-curious how to safely and consensually explore themes addressed in the book and movie.
For the full list, infographics and more about the study, click here.
