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Press Release
For Immediate Release

April 10, 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 more than 10,000 same-sex couples in Connecticut. The study shows that 19% of the same-sex couples in Connecticut are raising an estimated 3,140 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples with children have fewer economic resources to provide for their families than their married counterparts: they have lower household incomes and lower rates of homeownership.

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

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
• In 2000, there were 7,386 same-sex couples living in Connecticut. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 10,174.
• There are an estimated 115,511 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Connecticut.
• Same-sex couples live in every county in Connecticut and constitute 1.1% of coupled households and 0.57% of all households in the state. Hartford County reported the most same-sex couples with 1,977 couples (0.59% of all county households), followed by Fairfield County with 1,846 couples (0.57%), and New Haven County with 1,750 couples (0.55%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Litchfield County (0.60% of all county households), Hartford County (0.59%), and Middlesex County (0.57%).
• Connecticut’s same-sex couples are significantly more racially and ethnically diverse than their married counterparts: 20% of individuals in same-sex couples are nonwhite, compared with 14% 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: 12% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 15% of married individuals.

CONNECTICUT’S SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE RAISING CHILDREN WITH FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED PARENTS
• The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $59,500, or 24% lower than that of married parents ($78,600). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $65,005, significantly less than $106,553 for married parents.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE CONNECTICUT ECONOMY
• Individuals in same-sex couples in Connecticut are significantly more likely to be employed than married individuals: 78% of individuals in same- sex couples are employed, compared to 68% 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 Connecticut earn $44,638 each year, significantly less than $69,722 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Connecticut is $36,000, or 26% less than that of married men ($48,900).
• Women in same-sex couples in Connecticut earn an average of $41,416 per year (with a median of $35,000), more than married women, whose earnings average $33,655 (with a median of $27,000). Women in same-sex couples earn less than married men as well as men in same-sex couples.

The Williams Institute also released today a similar Census Snapshot for New York, which is available at http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/Policy-Census-index.html.

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