Poll: Number of Americans Supporting Gay Marriage Increasing

Public support for same-sex marriage is on the rise, with every state in the union more in favor of the practice than they were a decade ago, according to the results of a new study.

A study by the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School and Drexel University shows support for gay marriage has increased in every state, plus the District of Columbia, since 2004 by an average of 2.6 percent. Since 2012, support has gone up by 6.2 percent every year.

Vermont was the state with the highest rate of support last year, at 75 percent. Alabama was the lowest at 35 percent, while 86 percent of Washington, D.C., residents support the practice.

At the current trend, according to the Williams Institute research, gay marriage will have at least 40 percent support in every state by 2016.

"There have been some assertions that attitudes in states like Alabama have not changed when it comes to marriage equality," report co-author Andrew Flores said in a press release. "Actually, as time goes on, those states will be the states where we should expect to see even more change."

Other highlights from the study:

At the current trend, support for same-sex marriage will be above 45 percent in six states by 2016 and between 50 and 85 percent in most of the remaining states.
In 2014, 36 states and the District of Columbia supported gay marriage by at least 50 percent.
31 of the 36 states referenced above currently perform same-sex marriage ceremonies.

An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, meanwhile, showed a direct link to support of gay marriage and age. Seventy-four percent of Americans age 18-34 support the practice, according to the results, a number that mostly drops in each successive age group: 34-49 (54 percent in favor, 34 percent against); 50-64 (55 percent in favor, 37 percent against); and 65-plus (45 percent in favor, 46 percent against).

Another poll showed younger people are more likely to support federal laws that would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people from discrimination.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments on April 28 in a case that could uphold state bans on gay marriage.