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UCLA’S
WILLIAMS INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW
STUDY ANALYZING CENSUS DATA ON
SAME-SEX COUPLES IN MICHIGAN:
OVER 22,000 COUPLES LIVE
THROUGHOUT STATE; RAISING OVER
7,800 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 22,000
same-sex couples in Michigan.
The study shows that 18% of the
same-sex couples in Michigan are
raising an estimated 7,800
children. The study also shows
that same-sex couples,
especially those with children,
have fewer economic resources
and own homes at a significantly
lower rate than their
heterosexual, married
counterparts.
The full report
may be found at:
http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/MichiganCensusSnapshot.pdf
KEY FINDINGS
INCLUDE:
-
In 2000, there
were 15,368 same-sex couples
living in Michigan. By 2005,
the number of same-sex couples
increased to more than 22,000.
-
There are more
than 251,000 gay, lesbian, and
bisexual people (single and
coupled) currently living in
Michigan.
-
Same-sex
couples live in every county
in Michigan. Wayne County
reported the most same-sex
couples with 3,255 couples
(0.4% of all households),
followed by Oakland County
with 2,039 couples (0.4%). The
county with the highest
percentage of same-sex couples
is Washtenaw County with 0.7%
same-sex couples out of all
households (918 couples).
-
Michigan’s
same-sex couples are more
racially and ethnically
diverse than their
different-sex married
counterparts: 22% of same-sex
couples are nonwhite, compared
to 13% of married couples
-
Despite the
military’s historic policies
of excluding gay men and
lesbians from service,
individuals in same-sex
couples have served in the
military, albeit at lower
rates than married
individuals: 10% of
individuals in same-sex
couples are veterans, compared
to 16% of married individuals.
MICHIGAN SAME-SEX
HOUSEHOLDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE
RAISING CHILDREN, HAVE FEWER
ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED
HOUSEHOLDS
-
Same-sex
parents have fewer financial
resources to support their
children than married parents.
The median household income
of same-sex couples with
children is $48,900, or 25%
lower than that of married
parents ($65,000). The
average household income of
same-sex couples with children
is $58,578, significantly less
than $77,447 for married
parents.
-
While 51% of
same-sex couples with children
own a home, a much larger
percent of married parents
(87%) own a home.
-
The median
household income of all
same-sex couples in Michigan
is $58,500, or 6% less than
that of married couples
($62,000). The average
household income of same-sex
couples is $70,126, less than
$75,605 for married couples.
SAME-SEX COUPLES
ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE
MICHIGAN ECONOMY
-
Individuals in
same-sex couples in Michigan
are more likely to be employed
than married individuals: 78%
of individuals in same-sex
couples, compared to 65% of
married individuals, are
employed.
-
Contrary to a
popular stereotype, men in
same-sex couples have
significantly lower annual
earnings than married men. On
average, men in same-sex
couples in Michigan earn
$35,107 each year,
significantly less than
$53,887 for married men. The
median income of individuals
in male same-sex couples in
Michigan is $30,000, or 32%
less than that of married men
($44,200).
-
Women in
same-sex couples earn an
average of $31,921 per year
(with a median of $28,000),
more than married women, whose
earnings average $25,854
(median of $21,000). Women in
same-sex couples still earn
less than men.
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