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Press Release
For Immediate Release

April 8, 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 6,000 same-sex couples in New Mexico. The study shows that 27% of the same-sex couples in New Mexico are raising an estimated 3,624 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/NewMexicoCensusSnapshot.pdf

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
• In 2000, there were 4,496 same-sex couples living in New Mexico. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 6,063.
• There are an estimated 68,411 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in New Mexico.
• Same-sex couples live in every county in New Mexico and constitute 1.2% of coupled households and 0.7% of all households in the state. Bernalillo County reported the most same-sex couples with 1,770 couples (0.80% of all county households), followed by Santa Fe County with 619 couples (1.18%), and Dona Ana County with 342 couples (0.57%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Santa Fe County (1.18% of all county households), Sandoval County (0.81%), Bernalillo County (0.80%), and Taos County (0.71%).
• New Mexico’s same-sex couples are more racially and ethnically diverse than their married counterparts: 49% of individuals in same-sex couples are nonwhite, compared to 45% 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: 9% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 18% of married individuals.

NEW MEXICO’S SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE RAISING CHILDREN YET WITH FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED PARENTS
• Same-sex parents have far fewer financial resources to support their children than married parents in New Mexico. The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $31,100, or 32% lower than that of married parents ($46,000). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $41,964, significantly less than $57,131 for married parents.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE NEW MEXICO ECONOMY
• Individuals in same-sex couples in New Mexico are significantly more likely to be employed than married individuals: 71% of individuals in same- sex couples are employed, compared to 60% 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 New Mexico earn $28,241 each year, significantly less than $40,025 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in New Mexico is $27,000, or 12% less than that of married men ($30,700).
• Women in same-sex couples in New Mexico earn an average of $27,760 per year (with a median of $25,300), more than married women, whose earnings average $22,218 (with a median of $18,000). Women in same-sex couples earn less than married men as well as men in same-sex couples.

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

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