Jun 25, 2023 - Politics & Policy
Charted: Same-sex households across the U.S.
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Same-sex couples make up about 1% of all U.S. households — a 30% increase since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
Why it matters: Monday is the 8th anniversary of that ruling, Obergefell v. Hodges.
- The growth in same-sex couples since then has varied from state to state.
- Washington, D.C. has the highest overall share of same-sex households, followed by states on the East and West coasts.
- The biggest increases in same-sex households since the court's ruling came in the Mountain West. Wyoming's share more than doubled between 2015 and 2021, and Utah's nearly did as well.
- Only five states have seen a decrease from 2015 to 2021, including South Dakota, which had a 2021 nationwide low of 0.3% same-sex households.
What we're watching: Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation could slow or reverse these trends in some states.
- Florida has one of the largest shares of same-sex households, but a survey from UCLA and Clark University found that more than half of LGBTQ+ parents in the state have considered leaving in response to its "Don't Say Gay" law.
