UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE
RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES IN
IOWA: OVER 5,800 COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT STATE; RAISING
OVER 1,400 CHILDREN
Press Release
For Immediate Release
August 30, 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 same-sex
couples and same-sex couples raising children in Iowa. The study
shows that 19% of the 5,800 same-sex couples in the Iowa are
raising more than 1,400 children. The study also shows that
same-sex couples with children have fewer economic resources
than their heterosexual, married counterparts.
"Same-sex couples living in every county
in Iowa could benefit from today's decision by the Polk County
District Court that Iowa's Constitution provides for the option
of marriage to them," says Williams Institute Senior Research
Fellow Gary Gates. "These couples, especially the nearly one in
five raising children, would no doubt benefit from the
protections and recognition that marriage provides."
The full report may be found at:
http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/IowaCensusSnapshot.pdf
KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
- In 2000, there were 3,698 same-sex
couples living in Iowa. By 2005, the
number of same-sex couples increased to
more than 5,800.
- There are more than 62,000 gay,
lesbian, and bisexual people (single and
coupled) currently living in Iowa.
Approximately 19% of same-sex couples in
Iowa are raising children under the age of
18.
- As of 2005, an estimated 1,400 of
Iowa’s children are living in households
headed by same-sex couples.
- Same-sex couples live in every county
in Iowa. In 2000, Polk County reported the
most same-sex couples at 747 (0.5% of
households), followed by Johnson County
(312 couples, 0.7% of households), and
Linn County with 252 same-sex couples
(0.3%).
- Despite the military’s restrictive
policies toward gay and lesbian service,
individuals in same-sex couples in Iowa
have served in the military at similar
rates to married individuals: 11% of
individuals in same-sex couples are
veterans, compared to 16% of married
individuals.
IOWAN SAME-SEX HOUSEHOLDS, ESPECIALLY
THOSE RAISING CHILDREN, HAVE FEWER ECONOMIC
RESOURCES THAN MARRIED HOUSEHOLDS
- The median income of same-sex-couple
households in Iowa is $47,500, or 9% less
than that of married couples ($52,300).
- The economic disparities are even
greater for couples with children. The
median household income of same-sex
couples with children is $45,500, or 19%
lower than that of married parents
($55,800).
- While 71% of same-sex couples with
children own a home, a much larger percent
of married parents (83%) own a home.
SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN
THE IOWAN ECONOMY
- Individuals in same-sex couples in
Iowa are more likely to be employed than
are married individuals: 86% compared to
71%.
- Contrary to a popular stereotype, men
in same-sex couples have significantly
lower incomes than married men. On
average, men in same-sex couples in Iowa
earn $22,087 per year, significantly less
than $29,978 for married men.
- Women in same-sex couples, on the
other hand, earn an average of $21,059 per
year, significantly more than married
women, whose earnings average $14,875.
Women in same-sex couples, however, still
have average earnings that are less than
those of men.
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