U.S. Same-Sex Couple Households - 2005 to 2015 Statistics

Author: Sexual Diversity
Published: 15th Feb 2018 - Updated: 23rd Mar 2026
Peer-Reviewed Publication: N/A
Additional References: LGBT Facts and Statistics Publications

Summary: Estimates of same-sex couple households in the American Community Survey including margin of errors for same-sex couple U.S. households.

Main Document

Estimates of same-sex couple households in the American Community Survey including margin of errors for same-sex couple households.

Table 1. Estimates of Same-sex Couple Households in the American Community Survey

(In percent. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions.)

Year	Total same-sex couples			Same-sex spousal couples			Same-sex unmarried partner couples
Year	Total	M/M	F/F	Total	M/M	F/F	Total	M/M	F/F
2015	858,896	412,001	446,895	425,357	201,779	223,578	433,539	210,222	223,317
2014	783,100	377,903	405,197	334,829	163,239	171,590	448,271	214,664	233,607
2013 (1)	726,600	352,624	373,976	251,695	117,535	134,160	474,905	235,089
2012	639,440	305,794	333,646	181,922	80,727	101,195	457,518	225,067	232,451
2011	605,472	284,295	321,177	168,092	69,522	98,570	437,380	214,773	222,607
2010	593,324	287,687	305,637	152,335	68,513	83,822	440,989	219,174	221,815
2009	581,300	280,410	300,890	152,121	66,274	85,847	429,179	214,136	215,043
2008 (2)(3)	539,230	281,283	257,947	142,486	62,185	80,301	396,744	195,762	200,982
2007	753,618	395,572	358,046	340,848	190,004	150,844	412,770	205,568	207,202
2006	779,867	417,044	362,823	385,752	217,617	168,135	394,115	199,427	194,688
2005	776,943	413,095	363,848	392,314	214,477	177,937	384,629	198,618	186,011

(1) Beginning with 2013 data products, tables reflect edit/processing changes which show same-sex married couples along with all married couples. Tables that have a line for "married couples" will include same-sex married couples, unless otherwise noted, and the marital status for those adults will be shown as "now married" or "married, spouse present."

(2) Changes in the questionnaire format and data capture procedures between 2007 and 2008 resulted in significant declines in the number of reported same-sex spouses and hence the total number of same-sex unmarried partners in 2008.

(3) Due to late changes to the 2008 data set, the 2008 estimates on this table will not match the estimates of the previously released Characteristics of Same-sex Couples: 2008.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 through 2015 American Community Survey 1-year data files

Table A. Margin of errors for same-sex couple households in the American Community Survey.

(For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions.)

Year	Total same-sex couples			Same-sex spousal couples			Same-sex unmarried partner couples
Year	Total	M/M	F/F	Total	M/M	F/F	Total	M/M	F/F
2015	12,814	9,271	9,971	8,229	6,498	5,835	9,420	6,642	7,217
2014	12,124	8,417	9,056	8,353	5,693	6,384	10,252	7,085	6,769
2013 (1)	12,147	9,373	7,636	6,858	5,099	4,555	10,163	7,518	6,568
2012	12,163	9,048	7,076	6,338	4,216	4,266	9,814	7,432	6,133
2011	12,502	8,484	8,659	5,914	3,891	4,683	10,150	6,975	6,948
2010	11,361	8,350	8,663	5,305	3,486	3,901	9,811	7,211	6,797
2009	5,886	4,122	4,201	5,454	2,017	2,243	8,529	3,582	3,545
2008 (2)(3)	9,918	7,335	6,771	6,038	4,629	4,253	8,443	5,335	6,061
2007	13,070	8,515	9,056	8,513	6,457	5,441	9,706	6,250	7,384
2006	6,807	4,979	4,641	9,178	3,385	3,174	9,291	3,606	3,372
2005	8,417	6,175	5,721	8,644	4,249	3,953	8,449	4,440	4,132

(1) - Beginning with 2013 data products, tables reflect edit/processing changes which show same-sex married couples along with all married couples. Tables that have a line for "married couples" will include same-sex married couples, unless otherwise noted, and the marital status for those adults will be shown as "now married" or "married, spouse present."

(2) - Changes in the questionnaire format and data capture procedures between 2007 and 2008 resulted in significant declines in the number of reported same-sex spouses and hence the total number of same-sex unmarried partners in 2008.

(3) - Due to late changes to the 2008 data set, the 2008 estimates on this table will not match the estimates of the previously released Characteristics of Same-sex Couples: 2008.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 through 2015 American Community Survey 1-year data files.

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