CINCINNATI (AP) - New U.S. Census numbers show Ohio households led by same-sex couples grew by more than 50 percent between 2000 and 2010.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports last year's census identified more than 28,600 same-sex partner households, an increase of nearly 10,000 from 10 years earlier.
Executive director Ed Mullen of gay rights group Equality Ohio tells the newspaper the increase reflects that more gay and lesbian couples are living together and are comfortable declaring themselves a couple.
Columbus had more than 4,000 same-sex couples in the census, more than any other Ohio city.
The head of a group that pushed for Ohio's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage says the numbers are inflated. Phil Burress of Citizens for Community Values says college students rooming together could be counted as same-sex couples.
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