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Press Release
For Immediate Release

April 16, 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 1,600 same-sex couples in Montana. The study shows that 35% of the same-sex couples in Montana are raising an estimated 762 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples with children have fewer economic resources and own homes at a lower rate than heterosexual, married parents. 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/MontanaCensusSnapshot.pdf

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
• In 2000, there were 1,218 same-sex couples living in Montana. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 1,662.
• There are an estimated 18,703 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Montana.
• Same-sex couples live in all but one of the counties in Montana and constitute 0.6% of coupled households and 0.3% of all households in the state. Missoula County reported the most same-sex couples with 200 couples (0.52% of all households in the county), followed by Yellowstone County with 165 couples (0.32%), and Cascade County with 95 couples (0.29%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Big Horn County (0.82% of all county households), Garfield County (0.75%), and Jefferson County (0.67%).
• Montana’s same-sex couples are as racially and ethnically diverse as their married counterparts: 7% of individuals in same-sex and married couples are nonwhite.
• Despite the military’s historic policies of excluding gay men and lesbians from service, individuals in same-sex couples have served in the military: 8% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 19% of married individuals.

MONTANA’S SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE RAISING CHILDREN WITH FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED PARENTS
• Same-sex parents have fewer financial resources to support their children than married parents in Montana. The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $43,600, or 6% lower than that of married parents ($46,150). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $37,721, significantly less than $55,311 for married parents.
• While 65% of same-sex couples with children own their home, a larger percentage of married parents (79%) own their home.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE MONTANA ECONOMY
• Individuals in same-sex couples in Montana are more likely to be employed than married individuals: 77% of individuals in same-sex couples are employed, compared to 67% of married individuals.
• Contrary to a popular stereotype, the annual earnings of men in same-sex couples are far lower than those of married men. On average, men in same-sex couples in Montana earn $17,141 each year, much less than $35,993 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Montana is $11,750, or 61% less than that of married men ($30,000).
• Women in same-sex couples in Montana earn an average of $22,666 per year (with a median of $18,000), more than married women, whose earnings average $17,795 (with a median of $15,000). Women in same-sex couples earn less than men in married couples.

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

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