5 Tips For Trans People Looking To Move To A Safer City Or State On A Tight Budget

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• Trans people have been targeted by campaign promises and executive orders, prompting many to need to move.
• If your housing budget is tight, it's worth expanding which cities you look at.
• The less you take with you, the more affordable a move can be in an emergency.

Following a slew of anti-trans campaign promises and executive orders by President Donald Trump, many transgender folks are facing the possibility that they might need to move to a city or state that offers better legal protections and access to healthcare.

Unfortunately, many LGBTQ+-friendly areas are major cities. That can mean a high cost of living and a hefty move, especially if you're moving from a lower-income area. Before moving, it's a good idea to know how much rent you can afford.

But cost doesn't have to be a barrier to finding safety and acceptance, even if you don't have a robust emergency fund. Here are some ways to reduce the financial burdens of moving to a new city to secure your rights.

1. Expand your search to smaller cities

Cities like San Francisco are famous for their embrace of the LGBTQ+ community. But San Francisco is one of many cities with housing prices that are inaccessible for many people.

Not all trans-friendly cities are exorbitantly priced.

Affordable cities tend to fly under the radar. But they can be hot spots for trans-affirming communities situated in states with policies that protect trans rights — and at a fraction of the cost of their better-known big-city counterparts.

In June 2024, the podcast Queer Money compiled a list of the top 10 most affordable trans-friendly cities in the US. The list was compiled by looking at trans-specific data points from the Municipal Equality Index by the Human Rights Campaign and the Anti-Trans Risk Assessment Map by trans activist and journalist Erin Reed, as well as their findings from a previous list of affordable gay cities.

The list includes Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo, New York; Champaign and Rockford, Illinois; Baltimore, Maryland; Racine and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Albany, New York; and Duluth, Minnesota.

2. Split the rent

The singles tax is real: On average, a single American living alone pays around $7,000 more a year in rent compared to those who cohabitate.

"Without a doubt, the best way to cut your costs is to get a roommate," said personal finance writer Jack Prenter.

If you're moving on your own, combat the cost by bunking with someone in the city. In addition to halving your rent, it could help you make friends and get to know your new city. A trans or LGBTQ+ roommate could help you navigate the local LGBTQ+ community, too.

"It's not just college kids who need a roommate," said Prenter. "Increasingly, working professionals and even people in retirement are living with roommates. Get over the stereotypes."

3. Declutter before your move

The good news about alternative cities is you're not limited to shoebox apartments like you might be in New York or San Francisco. But if you're moving from a rural area or small town, you'll probably still be downsizing.

Sift through your belongings, and declutter before you move instead of waiting until you arrive to decide what goes.

"The less stuff you move, the cheaper it's going to be," said Prenter. "Sell, donate, or toss what you don't really need."

This gives you the option for a smaller, cheaper place in the new city, and it'll reduce the cost of the move if you can use a smaller truck.

4. Buy furniture when you get there

If you're moving out on your own for the first time and need to furnish from scratch, wait until you arrive in the new city to buy furniture so you don't have to spend money moving it.

You can avoid delivery costs and save time by ordering big furniture online. If you move into an apartment (or even a second-floor bedroom in a shared place), you'll be grateful for assembly-required furniture. Assembly's a bit of a chore, but it's nothing compared with fitting a bulky couch around a tight turn on a staircase.

5. Don't purchase moving supplies

Most of what you pack can go in just about any box, so you don't have to buy new boxes at U-Haul. Ask folks at your local grocery stores or department stores which days they receive shipments, and stop in on those days to grab boxes before they're recycled. (Hint: Some heavy-duty produce boxes make fantastic, sturdy boxes for books!)

To avoid buying bubble wrap, you can use recycled newspaper to pack most fragile items. Add towels and shirts for extra padding if you need it. You'll probably have to buy packing tape — and a dispenser is worth it! — but you can get them at a hardware or grocery store for a lower price than you'll find at places that specialize in moving supplies.