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Press Release
For Immediate Release

April 8, 2008

Media Contacts: Adam Romero (310)206-0725 / romero@law.ucla.edu
Gary 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 about the almost 16,000 same-sex couples in Colorado. The study shows that 14% of the same-sex couples in Colorado are raising an estimated 4,091 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples with children and married parents have similar economic resources to provide for their families.

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

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
• In 2000, there were 10,045 same-sex couples living in Colorado. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 15,915.
• There are an estimated 173,674 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Colorado.
• Same-sex couples live in almost every county in Colorado and constitute 1.1% of coupled households and 0.6% of all households in the state. Denver County reported the most same-sex couples with 2,916 couples (1.22% of all households in the county), followed by Jefferson County with 1,051 couples (0.51%), and Arapahoe County with 995 couples (0.52%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Denver County (1.22% of all county households), Gilpin County (1.13%), Park County (0.98%), and Summit County (0.72%).
• Colorado’s same-sex couples are as racially and ethnically diverse as their married counterparts: 18% of individuals in same-sex couples are nonwhite, compared to 19% of married individuals.
• Despite the military’s historic policies of excluding gay men and lesbians from service, individuals in same-sex couples have served in the military: 9% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 17% of married individuals.

COLORADO’S SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE RAISING CHILDREN WITH SIMILAR ECONOMIC RESOURCES TO MARRIED PARENTS
• The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $70,000, compared to $64,000 for married parents. The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $82,176, compared to $79,896 for married parents.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE COLORADO ECONOMY
• Individuals in same-sex couples in Colorado are significantly more likely to be employed than married individuals: 87% of individuals in same-sex couples are employed, compared to 69% of married individuals.
• Contrary to a popular stereotype, the annual earnings of men in same-sex couples are significantly lower than those of married men. On average, men in same-sex couples in Colorado earn $36,951 each year, significantly less than $52,276 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Colorado is $32,000, or 20% less than that of married men ($40,000).
• Women in same-sex couples in Colorado earn an average of $40,011 per year (with a median of $30,000), more than married women, whose earnings average $27,022 (with a median of $22,000). Women in same-sex couples earn less than married men.

The Williams Institute also released today similar Census Snapshots for Washington and New Mexico, which are available at http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/Policy-Census-index.html.

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