The Williams Institute

Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, this report provides demographic and economic information about same-sex couples and same-sex couples raising children in Colorado. We compare same-sex “unmarried partners,” which the Census Bureau defines as an unmarried couple who “shares living quarters and has a close personal relationship,” to different-sex married couples in Colorado. In many ways, the almost 16,000 same-sex couples living in Colorado are similar to married couples. According to Census 2000, they live throughout the state, are racially and ethnically diverse, have partners who depend upon one another financially, and actively participate in Colorado's economy. Census data also show that 14% of same-sex couples in Colorado are raising children. Same-sex couples in Coloardo have household incomes similar to those of married couples but lower rates of home ownership.