UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES IN ILLINOIS:  OVER 30,000 COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT STATE; RAISING OVER 12,600 CHILDREN
 

Press Release
For Immediate Release

September 26, 2007

Media Contact:
Gary J. Gates (310) 825-1868
gates@law.ucla.edu

LOS ANGELES - Today, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law released a new research study providing demographic and economic information for the over 30,000 same-sex couples living in Illinois.  The study shows that 22% of same-sex couples in Illinois are raising an estimated 12,600 children.  The study also shows that same-sex couples with children have fewer economic resources than their heterosexual, married counterparts.

The full report may be found at:

http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/IllinoisCensusSnapshot.pdf

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• In 2000, there were 22,887 same-sex couples living in Illinois.  By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to more than 30,000.
• There are more than 345,000 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Illinois.
• Approximately 22% of same-sex couples in Illinois are raising children under the age of 18.
• As of 2005, an estimated 12,600 of Illinois children are living in households headed by same-sex couples.
• Same-sex couples live in every county in Illinois.  In 2000, Cook County reported the most couples at 13,271 (0.7% of households) followed by DuPage County with 1,293 couples (0.4%), and Lake County with 946 couples (0.4%).
• Despite the military’s restrictive policies toward gay and lesbian service, individuals in same-sex couples in Illinois have served in the military at similar rates to married individuals: 8% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 14% of married individuals.

ILLINOIS SAME-SEX HOUSEHOLDS RAISING CHILDREN HAVE FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED HOUSEHOLDS

• The median household income of same-sex couples raising children in Illinois is $44,000, or 33% less than that of married couples ($65,300).  The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $49,177, significantly lower than that of married parents $81,986.
• While 51% of same-sex couples with children own a home, a much larger percent of married parents (80%) own a home.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE ILLINOIS ECONOMY

• Individuals in same-sex couples in Illinois are more likely to be employed than married individuals: 78% of individuals in same-sex couples, compared to 67% of married individuals, are employed.
• Contrary to a popular stereotype, men in same-sex couples have significantly lower incomes than married men.  On average, men in same-sex couples in Illinois earn $45,631 per year, compared to $54,509 for married men.  The median income of men in same-sex couples in Illinois is $35,000, or 17% less than that of married men ($42,000). 
• Women in same-sex couples earn an average of $35,396 per year (with a median of $28,500), significantly more than married women, whose earnings average $27,437 (median of $22,000).  Women in same-sex couples still earn less than men.