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Press Release
For Immediate Release

April 14, 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 3,200 same-sex couples in Hawaii. The study shows that 21% of the same-sex couples in Hawaii are raising an estimated 1,164 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples have household incomes similar to married spouses but are less likely to own their homes. Individuals in same-sex couples are more likely to be employed than married individuals.

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

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
• In 2000, there were 2,389 same-sex couples living in Hawaii. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 3,262.
• There are an estimated 41,785 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Hawaii.
• Same-sex couples live in all but one of the counties in Hawaii and constitute 1.0% of coupled households and 0.6% of all households in the state. Honolulu County reported the most same-sex couples with 1,520 couples (0.53% of all households in the county), followed by Maui County with 373 couples (0.86%), and Hawaii County with 368 couples (0.69%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Maui County (0.86% of all county households), Hawaii County (0.69%), and Kauai County (0.63%).
• Hawaii’s same-sex couples are racially and ethnically diverse: 54% of same-sex couples are nonwhite in Hawaii.
• Despite the military’s historic policies of excluding gay men and lesbians from service, individuals in same-sex couples have served in the military: 11% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 17% of married individuals.

HAWAII’S SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE RAISING CHILDREN WITH ECONOMIC RESOURCES SIMILAR TO MARRIED PARENTS
• Same-sex parents in Hawaii have similar financial resources to support their children as married parents. The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $55,900, compared to $64,820 for married parents. The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $79,258, compared to $77,050 for married parents.
• While 45% of same-sex couples with children own their home, a larger percentage of married parents (60%) own their home.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE HAWAII ECONOMY
• Individuals in same-sex couples in Hawaii are significantly more likely to be employed than married individuals: 77% of individuals in same- sex couples are employed, compared to 60% of married individuals.
• Contrary to popular stereotypes, the annual earnings of individuals in same-sex couples are lower than those of married individuals. On average, men in same-sex couples in Hawaii earn $33,542 each year, significantly less than $44,872 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Hawaii is $25,000, or 31% less than that of married men ($36,000).
• Women in same-sex couples in Hawaii earn on average $26,329 each year, less than $27,715 for married women. The median income of women in same-sex couples in Hawaii is $20,000, or 17% less than that of married women ($24,000).

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

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