The Business Boost from Marriage Equality: Evidence from the Health and Marriage Equality in Massachusetts Survey

Publication Date: May 2009

Publisher:

Author(s): M.V. Lee Badgett; Naomi G Goldberg; Michael D Steinberger

Research Area: Economics; Social conditions

Keywords: gay; business; marriage; economic

Type: Brief

Coverage: Massachusetts

Abstract:

This brief draws on two sources of data, a survey and state-collected tax revenue data, and finds that marriages have had a positive economic effect on Massachusetts--likely providing a boost of over $100 million to the state economy. Same-sex couples' weddings injected significant spending into the Massachusetts economy and brought out-of-state guests to the state, whose spending also added to the economic boost.