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THE URBAN INSTITUTE
Office of Public Affairs
2100 M St. NW
data releases on economic and social issues
Washington, DC 20037
paffairs@ui.urban.org
www.urban.org
Gay and Lesbian Families in the Census:
Gay and Lesbian Seniors
97 percent of U.S. counties have a senior in a same-sex partnership. Nearly three in
five U.S. counties (1,847) have more same-sex partnered seniors per capita than
the national average of one in a thousand people. Despite their prevalence, gay and
lesbian partners do not have access to Social Security survivor benefits or tax-free
transfer of survivor IRA contributions.
100
0
100 200 Miles
County contains no gay and lesbian seniors
County has below average proportion of gay and lesbian seniors
County has above average proportion of gay and lesbian seniors
Source: Urban Institute, 2003.