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UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE
RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING
CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES
IN VIRGINIA: ALMOST 20,000
COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT STATE;
RAISING MORE THAN 6,500 CHILDREN
Press Release January 28, 2008
Media Contacts:
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 almost 20,000 same-sex couples in Virginia. The study shows that about 20% of the same-sex couples in Virginia are raising an estimated 6,503 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples with children have fewer economic resources and own homes at a significantly lower rate than heterosexual, married parents. The full report may be found at: http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/VirginiaCensusSnapshot.pdf KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE: · In 2000, there were 13,802 same-sex couples living in Virginia. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 19,673. · There are an estimated 220,309 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Virginia. · Same-sex couples live in every county and independent city in Virginia and constitute 0.9% of coupled households and 0.5% of all households in the state. Fairfax City reported the most same-sex couples with 2,088 couples (0.60% of all households in the county), followed by Arlington City with 1,095 couples (1.27%), and Alexandria City with 687 couples (1.11%). The localities with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Arlington City (1.27% of all county households), Alexandria City (1.11%), Manassas City (0.89%), Falls Church City (0.83%), and Richmond City (0.77%). · Virginia’s same-sex couples are as racially and ethnically diverse as their married counterparts: 21% of 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: 15% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 18% of married individuals. VIRGINIA’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 Virginia. The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $46,100, or 28% lower than that of married parents ($64,000). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $59,447, significantly less than $80,383 for married parents. · While 50% of same-sex couples with children own their home, a significantly larger percentage of married parents (78%) own their home. SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE VIRGINIA ECONOMY · Individuals in same-sex couples in Virginia are significantly more likely to be employed than are married individuals: 81% 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 significantly lower than those of married men. On average, men in same-sex couples in Virginia earn $45,024 each year, significantly less than $51,851 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Virginia is $36,000, or 10% less than that of married men ($40,000). · Women in same-sex couples in Virginia earn an average of $41,580 per year (with a median of $34,000), more than married women, whose earnings average $27,986 (with a median of $22,400). 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 West Virginia, which is available at http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/Policy-Census-index.html.
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