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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 almost 24,000 same-sex couples in Washington. The study shows that 18% of the same-sex couples in Washington are raising an estimated 7,249 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/WashingtonCensusSnapshot.pdf

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
• In 2000, there were 15,900 same-sex couples living in Washington. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 23,903.
• There are an estimated 266,983 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Washington.
• Same-sex couples live in every county in Washington and constitute 1.2% of coupled households and 0.7% of all households in the state. King County reported the most same-sex couples with 7,751 couples (1.09% of all county households), followed by Pierce County with 1,397 couples (0.54%), and Snohomish County with 1,239 couples (0.55%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are King County (1.09% of all county households), San Juan County (0.88%), Thurston County (0.70%), and Jefferson County (0.68%).
• Washington’s same-sex couples are as racially and ethnically diverse as their married counterparts: 17% of individuals in same-sex couples are nonwhite, compared to 16% 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: 11% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 19% of married individuals.

WASHINGTON’S SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE RAISING CHILDREN YET WITH FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED PARENTS
• Same-sex parents have fewer financial resources to support their children than married parents in Washington. The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $46,630, or 25% lower than that of married parents ($62,000). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $62,209, significantly less than $76,061 for married parents.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE WASHINGTON ECONOMY
• Individuals in same-sex couples in Washington are significantly more likely to be employed than married individuals: 82% of individuals in same- sex couples are employed, compared to 65% 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 Washington earn $36,712 each year, significantly less than $50,259 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Washington is $32,000, or 20% less than that of married men ($40,000).
• Women in same-sex couples in Washington earn an average of $33,890 per year (with a median of $31,500), more than married women, whose earnings average $26,164 (with a median of $21,800). 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 New Mexico, which are available at http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/Policy-Census-index.html. 

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