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Demographics of Same-sex Couples in Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota: Analyses of the 2013 American Community Survey

Abstract

Analyzing data from the 2013 US American Community Survey, this report considers the demographic, economic, and geographic characteristics of same-sex couples (married and unmarried), especially those raising children, in Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Comparisons are made with their different-sex counterparts. In Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, as of 2013, there are an estimated 19652 same-sex couples. An estimated 12% of these couples report being married, meaning that there were more than 2,350 married same-sex couples in these states in 2013. An estimated 4,500 same-sex couples (married and unmarried) are raising children under age 18 in Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In these states, the median annual household income of these couples is more than 12% lower than the median annual household income of married different-sex couples raising children ($66,000 versus $71,000). Nearly a third of children being raised by same-sex couples (32%) live in poverty compared to 11% of children being raised by different-sex married parents.

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