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UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE
RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING
CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES
IN NORTH DAKOTA: NEARLY 1,100
COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT STATE;
RAISING MORE THAN 400 CHILDREN
Press Release June 12, 2008
Media Contacts:
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 about the nearly 1,100 same-sex couples in North Dakota. The study shows that 40% of the same-sex couples in North Dakota are raising an estimated 424 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples 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/NorthDakotaCensusSnapshot.pdf KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE: · In 2000, there were 703 same-sex couples living in North Dakota. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 1,070. · There are an estimated 11,003 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in North Dakota. · Same-sex couples live in almost every county in North Dakota and constitute 0.5% of coupled households and 0.3% of all households in the state. Cass County reported the most same-sex couples with 146 couples (0.28% of all households in the county), followed by Burleigh County with 63 couples (0.23%), and Grand Forks County with 59 couples (0.23%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Logan County (0.73% of all county households), Oliver County (0.63%), Rolette County (0.55%), and Billings County (0.55%). · North Dakota’s same-sex couples are as racially and ethnically diverse as their married counterparts: 5% 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: 4% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 16% of married individuals. NORTH DAKOTA’S SAME-SEX COUPLES HAVE FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED HOUSEHOLDS · The median income of same-sex coupled households in North Dakota is $43,800, less than that of married couples ($48,500). The average household income of same-sex couples is $47,309, less than that of married couples ($57,698). · Same-sex couples are significantly less likely than married couples to own their homes: 43% of same-sex couples in North Dakota own their home, compared to 85% of married couples SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE NORTH DAKOTA ECONOMY · 47% of individuals in same-sex couples in North Dakota are employed, compared to 69% of married individuals. · The annual earnings of men in same-sex couples are higher than those of married men. On average, men in same-sex couples in North Dakota earn $40,063 each year, compared to $37,777 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in North Dakota is $46,000, compared to $30,000 for married men. · Women in same-sex couples in North Dakota earn an average of $28,115 per year (with a median of $31,500), more than married women, whose earnings average $18,836 (with a median of $16,300). 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 Snapshots for South Dakota and Minnesota, which are available at http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/Policy-Census-index.html.
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