UCLA’s Williams Institute releases new study analyzing data on same-sex couples in Texas

by PegNews wire

Today, January 24th, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law released a new research study providing demographic and economic information about the almost 50,000 same-sex couples in Texas.

The study shows that about 20% of the same-sex couples in Texas are raising an estimated 17,444 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 following this link.

But some key findings include:

• In 2000, there were 42,912 same-sex couples living in Texas. By 2005, the number of same-sex couples increased to 49,423.
• There are an estimated 579,968 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Texas.
• Same-sex couples live in 99% of the counties in Texas and constitute 1.0% of coupled households and 0.6% of all households in the state. Harris County reported the most same-sex couples with 8,612 couples (0.71% of all households in the county), followed by Dallas County with 7,067 couples (0.88%), and Travis County with 2,984 couples (0.93%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Culberson County (1.05% of all county households), Presidio County (1.03%), and Hudspeth County (1.01%).Texas's same-sex couples are racially and ethnically diverse: 35% of same-sex couples are nonwhite, compared to 38% of married couples.
• Despite the military's historic policies of excluding gay men and lesbians from service, individuals in same-sex couples have served in the military: 10% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 15% of married individuals.

Texas'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 Texas. The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $41,720, or 20% lower than that of married parents ($52,400). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $52,927, significantly less than $67,508 for married parents.
• While 50% of same-sex couples with children own their home, a significantly larger percentage of married parents (73%) own their home.

Same-sex couples are actively engaged in the Texas economy.

• Individuals in same-sex couples in Texas are significantly more likely to be employed than are married individuals: 79% of individuals in same-sex couples are employed, compared to 64% 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 Texas earn $40,271 each year, significantly less than $47,592 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Texas is $32,000, or 9% less than that of married men ($35,000).
• Women in same-sex couples in Texas earn an average of $32,251 per year (with a median of $27,500), more than married women, whose earnings average $25,094 (with a median of $20,000). 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 Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Oklahoma, which are available at www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/Policy-Census-index.html.

Posted by Chad; info from UCLA

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