Posted: April 13, 2008 07:34 PM MDT
SANTA FE (AP) – A University of California-Los Angeles study shows the number of same-sex couples in New Mexico has increased about 35% between 2000 and 2005.
Researchers at UCLA’s School of Law find New Mexico was home to more than 6,000 same-sex couples in 2005.
The study released last week finds 27% of those couples were raising children.
The UCLA study is based on Census Bureau data. It shows same-sex couples live in all of the state’s 33 counties. Santa Fe County has the highest percentage; Bernalillo County has the highest total number.
Gays, lesbians and bisexual people made up nearly 5% of the state’s population in 2005.
The study ranks New Mexico 8th in the country for the percentage of same-sex couples.