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UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE:  MORE THAN 5,500 COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT STATE; RAISING OVER 1,600 CHILDREN
 

Press Release
For Immediate Release

December 5, 2007

Media Contact:
Amanda Baumle (310) 206-0883, baumle@law.ucla.edu

Adam Romero (310) 206-0725, romero@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 the more than 5,500 same-sex couples in New Hampshire. The study shows that 19% of the same-sex couples in New Hampshire are raising an estimated 1,614 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples raising children have on average fewer economic resources and own homes at a lower rate than their married counterparts.

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

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• In 2000, there were 2,703 same-sex couples living in New Hampshire. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to more than 5,500.
• There are an estimated 64,000 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in New Hampshire.

• Same-sex couples live in every county in New Hampshire and constitute 0.9% of coupled households and 0.6% of all households in the state. Hillsborough County reported the most same-sex couples with 803 couples (0.56% of all households in the county), followed by Rockingham County with 579 couples (0.55%), and Merrimack County with 290 couples (0.56%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Cheshire County (0.63% of all households in the county) and Belknap County (0.61%).
• New Hampshire’s same-sex couples are more racially and ethnically diverse than their married counterparts: 6% of same-sex couples are nonwhite, compared to 4% of married couples.
• Despite the military’s historic policies of excluding gays and lesbians from service, individuals in same-sex couples have served in the military: 7% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 18% of married individuals.

NEW HAMPSHIRE SAME-SEX COUPLES RAISING CHILDREN HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED PARENTS

• Same-sex parents have significantly fewer financial resources to support their children than married parents. The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $57,977, significantly less than $80,547 for married parents. The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $56,370, or 16% lower than that of married parents ($67,000).
• While 78% of same-sex couples with children own their home, a larger percentage of married parents (84%) own their home.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE ECONOMY

• Individuals in same-sex couples in New Hampshire are more likely to be employed than are married individuals: 83% of individuals in same-sex couples are employed, compared to 73% of married individuals.
• Contrary to a popular stereotype, the annual earnings of men in same-sex couples are significantly lower than married men. On average, men in same-sex couples in New Hampshire earn $38,655 each year, significantly less than $51,792 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in New Hampshire is $35,000, or about 13% less than that of married men ($40,000). 
• Women in same-sex couples in New Hampshire earn an average of $33,447 per year (with a median of $31,000), significantly more than married women, whose earnings average $26,195 (with a median of $22,000). 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 Vermont, which is available at www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/VermontCensusSnapshot.pdf.

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