2010 Census shows more same-sex parents with children living in southern states



8 February 2011

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In Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, same sex couples are more likely to have children than in New England, New York, California, Oregon and Washington state. Jacksonville Florida has one of the largest number of same-sex households with children in the United States.

In addition, black and Latino same sex couples are twice as likely to have children as white same sex couples, and are more likely to be financially struggling.

The census did not collect information about whether the children were from previous opposite-sex relationships and one parent came to the same-sex relationship with children, or if the same-sex couples chose to have children together.

The census also shows that gay men have children on average three years earlier than straight men.

The census bureau estimates that there were 581,000 same-sex couples in the United States at the time of the 2010 census.