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UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES IN VERMONT: OVER 2,100 COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT STATE; RAISING OVER 640 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 over 2,100 same-sex couples in Vermont. The study shows that 20% of the same-sex couples in Vermont are raising an estimated 643 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/VermontCensusSnapshot.pdf

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• In 2000, there were 1,933 same-sex couples living in Vermont. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 2,157.
• There are an estimated 24,000 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Vermont.

• Same-sex couples live in every county in Vermont and constitute 1.3% of coupled households and 0.8% of all households in the state. Chittenden County reported the most same-sex couples with 537 couples (0.95% of all households in the county), followed by Washington County with 190 couples (0.80%), and Windham County with 186 couples (1.01%). The county with the highest percentage of same-sex couples is Orange County (1.04% of all county households).
• Vermont’s same-sex couples are as racially and ethnically diverse than their married counterparts: 3% of same-sex and married couples are nonwhite.
• Despite the military’s historic policies of excluding gays 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 16% of married individuals.

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

• Same-sex parents have fewer financial resources to support their children than married parents in Vermont.  The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $37,500, or 34% lower than that of married parents ($56,720). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $54,639, significantly less than $67,619 for married parents.
• While 73% of same-sex couples with children own their home, a much larger percentage of married parents (84%) own their home.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE VERMONT ECONOMY

• Individuals in same-sex couples in Vermont are significantly more likely to be employed than are married individuals: 82% 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 Vermont earn $23,773 each year, significantly less than $41,189 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Vermont is $24,000, or 27% less than that of married men ($33,000). 
• Women in same-sex couples in Vermont earn an average of $28,227 per year (with a median of $22,300), more than married women, whose earnings average $22,925 (with a median of $20,000). Women in same-sex couples earn, on average, less than married men but more than men in same-sex couples in Vermont.

The Williams Institute also released today a similar Census Snapshot for New Hampshire, which is available at www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/NewHampshireCensusSnapshot.pdf.

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