Civil unions have been legal in New Hampshire since Jan. 1, but same-sex couples haven't exactly been flocking to town halls to formalize their relationships.

As of Friday, just 430 civil unions have been filed, according to officials at the state's Department of Vital Records.

Twenty of those 400-plus couples were united in a public ceremony on the Statehouse steps when the clock struck midnight Jan. 1, but there's hardly been a rush on ceremonies since.

In Pelham, a town of about 12,500 residents, only one couple filed paperwork for a civil union — and that was done just last week. In four slightly smaller Southern New Hampshire communities — Plaistow, Newton, Kingston, Sandown — no one has come forward for a same-sex ceremony.

Only 99 same-sex couples in Rockingham County have taken advantage of a civil union this year, while 960 couples have gotten married.

Plaistow Town Clerk Maryellen Pelletier said she was surprised not one couple in town had applied for a civil union license.

"I really thought there would be some in January, but we had none at all so far," she said.

Mo Baxley, executive director of New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition, said the state's numbers are low, but it's not surprising to her because most same-sex couples want marriage, not a civil union.

"People want to be married. I think a lot of people went to Massachusetts and Canada to get married," she said. "The couples that are elderly and have health-care concerns went with the civil unions because they wanted immediate hospital visitation rights and that sort of thing."

In January, New Hampshire became the fourth state in the nation to recognize civil unions. Vermont was the first state to offer the same-sex partnership in 2000. Connecticut and New Jersey followed. Other states, including Maine and California, offered domestic partnerships, which afford couples fewer benefits than civil unions.

"Then there's a lot of people who are simply waiting," Baxley said. "They want to be married; they want to be married at home in New Hampshire. "

Massachusetts is the only state that has legalized same-sex marriage.

Salem Justice of the Peace Barbara Lessard said she's officiated over four civil union ceremonies, including the first recorded civil union in the state.

She said she has found couples are taking their time. She performed one ceremony last week and believes 430 civil unions is a remarkable number for the state of New Hampshire.

"I think that's a good number," she said. "It's a small state, and I think it's nice that we have something to offer people. Many see it as a first step."

And while it's been legal for more than six months, everyone is still not comfortable with the idea.

Kingston Town Clerk Bettie Ouellette refused to say how many civil unions had been filed there. The state vital records office later confirmed there were no civil union licenses filed in Kingston.

The New Hampshire Department of Corrections just offered the first chance for inmates to be united in a civil union last weekend. While no one took the department up on the offer, inmates will have the opportunity again in January, according to Jeffrey Lyons, spokesman for the department.

And while there aren't thousands of same-sex couples entering civil unions, there aren't a whole lot of marriage ceremonies happening now either.

Pelletier, the clerk in Plaistow, said fewer people seem to be celebrating love this year.

"I would say marriages have been way down so far," she said. "They just picked up this month. We had no spring applications at all."

In Newton, where no one has stepped up for a civil union yet, Town Clerk Mary Jo McCullough agrees that couples have gone elsewhere.

"I was a little bit surprised. I thought we'd have one or two," she said. "But I do know of a few couples in town that were married outside of the state, so they'd have to get a divorce to (be joined) in a civil union here."

Divorces — or the dissolution of civil unions — have been few and far between.

There have been only 10 dissolved civil unions in the state, according to State Registrar Bill Bolton.

He said that number may not be representative of those who were joined in New Hampshire.

"Keep in mind, we recognize a Vermont civil union, so the first five were Vermont couples that were joined there but live here and dissolved in New Hampshire," he said.

But most civil unions are working out just fine.

Chris Fraser and Kate Walsh of Derry were joined in a civil union in January and are planning a vow-renewal ceremony with their family and friends for September.

Fraser said she was thrilled when civil unions became legal, and her partnership is all the better because of it. But she did think more couples would have taken advantage of the new law.

"I think it's surprising. For all the hype, you'd think more would come forward," she said. "I think the reason there haven't been more is maybe people still aren't willing to come forth because New Hampshire is still a little conservative."

Civil union numbers*

Rockingham County: 99

Atkinson: 2

Danville: 1

Derry: 7

Hampstead: 2

Kingston: 0

Londonderry: 4

Newton: 0

Pelham: 1

Plaistow: 0

Salem: 5

Sandown: 0

Numbers were not available for Windham. State officials confirmed the town has had at least one civil union.