Where in DC Do Gay Couples Live?

• June 18, 2012

by Shilpi Paul

Photo courtesy of redjoe

Which neighborhoods in DC have the highest percentage of gay couples?

In honor of Gay Pride Month, Trulia’s Chief Economist Jed Kolko examined Census data and housing prices data to find out which neighborhoods across the country attract gay couples. Kolko ranked the neighborhoods throughout the U.S that had the highest percentage of same-sex couples, differentiating between men and women.

Because the Census doesn’t ask for sexual orientation, but allows people to identify their relationship with the other adult in the home as “husband/wife” or “unmarried partner,” Kolko was only able to find neighborhoods where cohabiting same-sex couples live, not singles.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Castro, in San Fransisco, topped the list of zip codes with the highest percentage of gay male couples; Provincetown, MA led the list for women.

Courtesy of Trulia Trends

No DC neighborhoods made either top ten list but nearby Rehoboth Beach showed up, with same sex male couples accounting for 7.0 percent of the population and same-sex female couples accounting for 2.4 percent.

Finally, Kolko dug down into neighborhoods within DC for UrbanTurf. So, where, if anywhere, are gay couples clustering? For men, according to the 2010 data, it was Dupont Circle and Logan Circle, with male couples accounting for 3.3 percent of the population in both areas. As for women, Takoma Park, MD was statistically significant, with female couples accounting for 1.1 percent. Some areas within Alexandria showed up as well.

As Kolko mentions, gay couples sometimes lead the wave of gentrification in up-and-coming neighborhoods. Dupont and Logan Circle have been swanky for a while, and the wave of gentrification is moving east towards Shaw and Bloomingdale. Will the next Census reveal a shift of gay couples, as well?

For the full report, click here.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/where_in_dc_do_gay_couples_live/5664