From Equality Alabama

UCLA's Williams Institute Releases New Study on Alabama Same-Sex Couples



On January 15th, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law released a new research study providing demographic and economic information about the more than 8,500 same-sex couples in Alabama. The study shows that about 25% of the same-sex couples in Alabama are raising an estimated 3,309 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples, especially those raising children, have fewer economic resources and own homes at a significantly lower rate than their heterosexual, married counterparts.


KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

There are an estimated 94,639 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Alabama.
Same-sex couples live in every county in Alabama and constitute 0.8% of coupled households and 0.5% of all households in the state. Jefferson County reported the most same-sex couples with 1,488 couples (0.57% of all households in the county), followed by Mobile County with 800 couples (0.53%), and Madison County with 430 couples (0.39%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Perry County (0.72% of all county households), Hale County (0.64%), Choctaw County (0.63%), and Bullock County (0.63%).
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 Alabama earn $29,377 each year, significantly less than $43,207 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Alabama is $25,000, or 26% less than that of married men ($34,000).


Women in same-sex couples in Alabama earn an average of $23,582 per year (with a median of $18,000), more than married women, whose earnings average $22,311 (with a median of $18,500). Women in same-sex couples earn less than married men as well as men in same-sex couples.




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