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UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES IN NEW JERSEY:  ALMOST 21,000 COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT STATE; RAISING OVER 8,300 CHILDREN
 

Press Release
For Immediate Release

November 20, 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 almost 21,000 same-sex couples living in New Jersey. The study shows that 21% of the same-sex couples in New Jersey are raising approximately 8,337 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples with children have, on average, significantly lower household incomes and rates of home ownership than their heterosexual, married counterparts.

The full report may be found at:
http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/NewJerseyCensusSnapshot.pdf

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

  • In 2000, there were 16,604 same-sex couples living in New Jersey. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to more than 20,677.
  • In 2005, there were approximately 245,628 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) living in New Jersey.
  • 21% of the same-sex couples in New Jersey are raising approximately 8,337 children.  6% of adopted children in New Jersey live with a gay or lesbian parent.
  • Same-sex couples live in every county in New Jersey and constitute 0.54% of all households and 0.9% of all coupled households in the State. In 2000, Essex County reported the most couples at 1928 (0.68% of county households), followed by Hudson County with 1795 couples (0.78%), and Bergen County with 1512 couples (0.46%).
  • Despite the military’s historic policies restricting service by gays and lesbians, individuals in same-sex couples have served in the military: 9% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 14% of married individuals.

SAME-SEX COUPLES RAISING CHILDREN IN NEW JERSEY HAVE FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED PARENTS

  • Same-sex parents have significantly lower household incomes than married parents in New Jersey. The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $46,800, or 40% lower than that of married parents ($77,800). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $70,173, significantly less than $98,905 for married parents.
  • While 51% of same-sex parents own a home, a much larger percentage of married parents own a home (78%).

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE NEW JERSEY ECONOMY

  • Individuals in same-sex couples in New Jersey have higher rates of employment than married couples: 75% of individuals in same-sex couples are employed, compared to 66% of married individuals.

  • Contrary to a popular stereotype, men in same-sex couples have significantly lower earnings than married men. On average, men in same-sex couples in New Jersey earn $49,523 per year, compared to $65,328 for married men. The median annual earnings of men in same-sex couples in New Jersey is $36,500, or 27% less than that of married men ($50,000). 
  • Women in same-sex couples, on the other hand, earn an average of $44,463 per year (with a median of $35,000), significantly more than married women, whose earnings average $44,463 (with a median of $33,404). Women in same-sex couples, however, still have average earnings less than those of married men and men in same-sex couples

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