Marriage Equality Boosts Mass. Economy

As Massachusetts marks the fifth anniversary of recognizing same-sex couples’ right to marry, two new studies show that marriage equality has helped bring more than $100 million to the Bay State’s economy.

The studies, released by UCLA’s Williams Institute on Friday, show that Massachusetts has gained clear economic advantages from the young, highly educated “creative class” of professionals drawn by marriage equality, and from the boost that same-sex weddings give to the economy.

Following a November 2003 ruling by the state supreme court, Massachusetts became the first state in the nation where same-sex couples could legally marry on May 17, 2004.

Data show that same-sex couples in the “creative class” were 2.5 more times likely to move to Massachusetts after 2004 than before, while local businesses have benefited from more than 12,000 same-sex couples who typically spent $7,400 on their weddings in the state.