More female same-sex couple households in US than male, data shows
Female same-sex couple households are more common than male in the US. (Stock image via Getty Image)
A new survey from the US Census Bureau has found that same-sex couple households in the United States reached around 1.4 million in 2024, with female couples now outnumbering male couples.
The data, released by the Bureau yesterday (1 April), is drawn from the American Community Survey and shows same-sex households account for about 1% of all US households, reflecting steady growth over the past two decades.
About 0.6% reported being married, and 0.4% were unmarried households.
The shift marks a reversal from 2005, when male same-sex households were more common. Since then, female same-sex marriages have more than doubled, contributing significantly to the change.
Overall, married same-sex households have seen the biggest increase, rising from roughly 392,000 in 2005 to over 836,000 in 2024, following the nationwide legalisation of same-sex marriage after the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
The report also highlights demographic and economic trends: married same-sex couples are more likely to both be employed when compared to married opposite-sex couples, and were more likely to have higher levels of education compared to unmarried opposite-sex couples, while interracial relationships are also more common among same-sex marriages.
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