2023’s Most Pet-Friendly Cities

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial WriterAug 8, 2023

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial Writer
Aug 8, 2023

To many of us, pets are family — even if they’re covered in fur, feathers or scales. Animal companionship is a great stress reliever, and the nearly 90.5 million households in the U.S. that own pets want to live places where their beloved companions can enjoy long, healthy lives without breaking the bank. In 2022, pet ownership cost Americans $136.8 billion, according to the American Pet Products Association.

Years ago, pet owners had access to only a handful of businesses offering animal services and supplies. Petco and PetSmart were among the biggest names. Now, the market for pet businesses is growing to fill increasing consumer demand, and new ways to buy goods for your animal have appeared, such as monthly subscription boxes.

Adding an animal to the family roster can be hard on the wallet. For popular choices like dogs and cats, a long list of expenses that include licenses, grooming and medical care can cost $1,000 - $3,000+ annually. Health insurance alone can exceed $200 per year for a dog, and it may not even be worth it. And if you rent an apartment with an animal, you can expect to pay hundreds, if not thousands, more for a pet deposit, fee and rent.

With animal parents in mind, WalletHub compared the pet-friendliness of the 100 largest U.S. cities across 23 key metrics. Our data set ranges from minimum pet-care provider rate per visit to pet businesses per capita to walkability.

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Most Pet-Friendly Cities

Overall Rank*	City	Total Score	Pet Budget	Pet Health & Wellness	Outdoor Pet-Friendliness
1	Scottsdale, AZ	63.70	77	1	8
2	Tampa, FL	62.75	28	3	15
3	St. Petersburg, FL	60.12	28	4	37
4	Las Vegas, NV	59.45	20	40	3
5	Colorado Springs, CO	58.48	45	12	17
6	Birmingham, AL	57.95	8	21	91
7	Atlanta, GA	57.35	36	7	45
8	Raleigh, NC	57.06	3	37	61
9	St. Louis, MO	56.87	14	31	40
10	Portland, OR	56.58	71	10	6
11	North Las Vegas, NV	56.13	6	80	14
12	Cincinnati, OH	56.10	31	24	31
13	Lexington-Fayette, KY	56.02	10	8	94
14	Sacramento, CA	55.92	48	43	5
15	Orlando, FL	55.42	37	14	57
16	Nashville, TN	55.08	2	34	87
17	Aurora, CO	54.64	18	17	85
18	Boise, ID	54.24	44	46	18
19	Denver, CO	54.16	60	11	32
20	Miami, FL	53.70	47	18	63
21	Indianapolis, IN	53.24	30	15	88
22	Seattle, WA	52.82	82	16	16
23	Henderson, NV	52.73	15	83	27
24	San Diego, CA	52.61	96	6	4
25	Lincoln, NE	52.50	11	53	73
26	Pittsburgh, PA	52.45	55	41	22
27	Lubbock, TX	52.37	13	58	78
28	Austin, TX	52.37	69	5	65
29	Plano, TX	52.33	89	2	28
30	Phoenix, AZ	52.29	66	22	25
31	New Orleans, LA	52.19	40	35	55
32	Tulsa, OK	51.73	22	62	60
33	Irvine, CA	51.70	94	9	10
34	Minneapolis, MN	51.41	35	66	33
35	Omaha, NE	51.22	7	75	71
36	El Paso, TX	51.05	19	79	48
37	Fort Wayne, IN	50.99	4	59	99
38	Madison, WI	50.72	53	45	35
39	Albuquerque, NM	50.21	32	92	20
40	Columbus, OH	50.20	12	90	58
41	Cleveland, OH	50.17	16	60	83
42	Oakland, CA	50.10	88	30	7
43	Long Beach, CA	50.08	85	28	13
44	Newark, NJ	49.99	64	27	51
45	Oklahoma City, OK	49.89	24	54	84
46	Kansas City, MO	49.87	17	74	66
47	Jersey City, NJ	49.87	72	23	49
48	Hialeah, FL	49.83	59	36	39
49	San Francisco, CA	49.76	93	49	1
50	Washington, DC	49.62	73	50	12
51	Jacksonville, FL	49.50	26	69	70
52	Houston, TX	49.22	51	47	64
53	Fort Worth, TX	49.10	41	42	80
54	Memphis, TN	48.94	5	89	95
55	Anaheim, CA	48.73	86	26	23
56	Los Angeles, CA	48.54	92	32	9
57	Greensboro, NC	48.46	1	84	75
58	Reno, NV	48.26	39	52	81
59	Corpus Christi, TX	48.23	21	77	86
60	Louisville, KY	48.04	38	38	97
61	Baton Rouge, LA	47.89	54	19	98
62	Winston-Salem, NC	47.71	34	68	77
63	San Antonio, TX	47.67	43	70	68
64	Wichita, KS	47.55	9	72	100
65	Bakersfield, CA	47.46	57	73	36
66	Virginia Beach, VA	47.40	52	56	72
67	Charlotte, NC	46.69	33	64	92
68	St. Paul, MN	46.61	56	81	44
69	Gilbert, AZ	46.55	77	13	90
70	Anchorage, AK	46.33	63	78	29
71	Glendale, AZ	46.15	75	25	74
72	San Jose, CA	46.13	65	87	24
73	Chesapeake, VA	45.87	58	85	41
74	Fremont, CA	45.85	97	61	2
75	Stockton, CA	45.77	46	94	54
76	Riverside, CA	45.74	84	63	34
77	Garland, TX	45.72	74	71	26
78	Tucson, AZ	45.64	81	48	46
79	San Bernardino, CA	45.30	70	91	19
80	Arlington, TX	45.01	76	65	42
81	Fresno, CA	44.81	61	86	38
82	Irving, TX	44.78	83	51	52
83	Chandler, AZ	44.48	77	33	79
84	Philadelphia, PA	44.38	87	67	30
85	Honolulu, HI	43.78	62	97	21
86	Norfolk, VA	43.58	67	88	53
87	Toledo, OH	43.24	25	95	69
88	Chicago, IL	43.23	100	20	50
89	Mesa, AZ	43.19	77	39	89
90	Milwaukee, WI	43.10	23	100	82
91	Detroit, MI	43.07	27	98	76
92	Buffalo, NY	43.04	50	82	93
93	Chula Vista, CA	42.98	90	57	47
94	Boston, MA	42.89	95	44	43
95	New York, NY	42.28	99	76	11
96	Laredo, TX	42.20	49	99	56
97	Durham, NC	42.20	42	93	96
98	Santa Ana, CA	41.85	98	29	67
99	Dallas, TX	41.62	91	55	62
100	Baltimore, MD	40.54	68	96	59

Notes: *No. 1 = Most Pet-Friendly
With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

Veterinary Care Costs

Lowest

Lowest
1. Columbus, OH
2. Corpus Christi, TX
3. Raleigh, NC
4. Sacramento, CA
5. Kansas City, MO

Highest

Highest
89. Anchorage, AK
90. Washington, DC
91. Chicago, IL
T-92. New York, NY
T-92. Plano, TX

Dog Insurance Premium

Lowest

Lowest
T-1. Indianapolis, IN
T-1. Fort Wayne, IN
3. Aurora, CO
T-4. Memphis, TN
T-4. Nashville, TN

Highest

Highest
T-91. Scottsdale, AZ
T-91. San Francisco, CA
T-91. Irvine, CA
T-91. Los Angeles, CA
T-91. New York, NY

Veterinarians per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Miami, FL
T-1. Las Vegas, NV
T-1. Tampa, FL
T-1. Cincinnati, OH
T-1. Orlando, FL

Fewest

Fewest
96. North Las Vegas, NV
97. Detroit, MI
98. Jersey City, NJ
99. Laredo, TX
100. Newark, NJ

Pet Businesses per Capita

Most

Most
1. Scottsdale, AZ
2. St. Petersburg, FL
3. Reno, NV
4. Birmingham, AL
5. Boise, ID

Fewest

Fewest
96. Detroit, MI
97. Los Angeles, CA
98. New York, NY
99. Laredo, TX
100. Newark, NJ

Dog-Friendly Restaurants per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Orlando, FL
T-1. Austin, TX
T-1. Seattle, WA
T-1. Washington, DC
T-1. Portland, OR

Fewest

Fewest
96. Stockton, CA
97. Newark, NJ
98. Laredo, TX
99. San Bernardino, CA
100. North Las Vegas, NV

Dog Parks per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. New York, NY
T-1. San Francisco, CA
T-1. Portland, OR
T-1. Las Vegas, NV
T-1. Sacramento, CA

Fewest

Fewest
94. Garland, TX
95. Newark, NJ
96. Cleveland, OH
T-97. Santa Ana, CA
T-97. Hialeah, FL

Animal Shelters per Capita

Most

Most
1. Phoenix, AZ
2. St. Louis, MO
3. San Diego, CA
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Chicago, IL

Fewest

Fewest
94. Chula Vista, CA
95. Newark, NJ
96. Henderson, NV
97. Anaheim, CA
98. Long Beach, CA

Ask the Experts

For the right reasons, pet ownership can be very fulfilling. But it also can bring about challenges, especially financial ones. For advice to aspiring pet owners, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in with their thoughts on the following key questions:

What tips do you have for individuals and families looking to own pets without breaking the bank?
In evaluating the best and worst cities for pet lovers, what are the top 5 indicators?
Why is pet ownership in the U.S declining?
What are the pros and cons of purchasing pet insurance? Do you recommend it?
What measures can local authorities take in order to make their cities more pet-friendly?

Ask the Experts

Jeanette O'Quin
DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DABVP – Associate Professor-Clinical, College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine – Ohio State University
Read More

Ron Broglio
Director, Institute Humanities Research; Institute Director & Professor, English; Institute Director & Professor, Literature; Senior Global Futures Scholar, Global Futures Scientists and Scholars – Arizona State University
Read More

Joan Schaffner
Law Professor and Faculty Co-Director, Animal Legal Education Initiative, The George Washington University Law School
Read More

Jessica Rubin and Jane Shaw
Jessica Rubin – J.D., Professor of Animal Law, University of Connecticut School of Law and Jane Shaw – D.V.M. and Ph.D., Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Read More

Methodology

In order to determine the most pet-friendly places in America, WalletHub compared the 100 most populated cities across three key dimensions: 1) Pet Budget, 2) Pet Health & Wellness and 3) Outdoor Pet-Friendliness.

We evaluated those dimensions using 23 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for pets and their owners. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available at the state level only. For metrics marked with an asterisk (**), the square root of the population was used to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

Pet Budget – Total Points: 25

Veterinary Care Costs: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Minimum Pet-Care Provider Rate per Visit: Half Weight (~5.00 Points)
Dog Insurance Premium: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)

Pet Health & Wellness – Total Points: 50

Veterinarians per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Pet Caretakers per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Animal Trainers per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Pet Businesses per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Dog-Friendly Restaurants per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Dog-Friendly Shops per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Pet Meetup Groups per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Doggie Daycare & Boarding Establishments per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Pet-Friendliness of Rental Market: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of pet-friendly rental units.
Average Home Square Footage: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Share of Single-Family Detached Homes: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Share of Homes with One or Fewer Occupants per Room: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Animal Shelters per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Strength of Animal Protection Laws: Full* Weight (~3.57 Points)
Note: This metric is based on the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s “Best & Worst States for Animal Protection Laws” ranking.

Outdoor Pet-Friendliness – Total Points: 25

Weather: Full Weight (~4.55 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.
Dog Parks per Capita**: Full Weight (~4.55 Points)
Parkland as Share of City Area: Full Weight (~4.55 Points)
Walk Score: Full Weight (~4.55 Points)
Dog-Friendly Trails per Capita**: Full Weight (~4.55 Points)
Dog Shows per Capita**: Half* Weight (~2.27 Points)

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Yelp.com, WalkScore.com, RentPath, Pets Best Insurance Services, Council for Community and Economic Research, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Sittercity, BringFido, InfoDog, Trust for Public Land, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Meetup, Realtor and WalletHub research.

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