With over 86.9 million U.S. pet-owning households projected to spend $150.6 billion this year on their animal companions, the personal finance website WalletHub today released an in-depth report on 2024’s Most Pet-Friendly Cities, as well as expert commentary, to determine where Americans’ animal companions can enjoy the best quality of life without their owners breaking the bank.
WalletHub compared the pet-friendliness of the 100 largest cities across 23 key metrics. The data set ranges from veterinarian costs to the number of pet businesses per capita to walkability.
| Most Pet-Friendly Cities | Least Pet-Friendly Cities | |
| 1. Scottsdale, AZ | 91. Detroit, MI | |
| 2. Tampa, FL | 92. Stockton, CA | |
| 3. Las Vegas, NV | 93. Toledo, OH | |
| 4. Birmingham, AL | 94. Tucson, AZ | |
| 5. Lexington-Fayette, KY | 95. Fresno, CA | |
| 6. North Las Vegas, NV | 96. New York, NY | |
| 7. St. Petersburg, FL | 97. Honolulu, HI | |
| 8. Cincinnati, OH | 98. Milwaukee, WI | |
| 9. Portland, OR | 99. Durham, NC | |
| 10. St. Louis, MO | 100. Boston, MA |
Key Stats
- Columbus, Ohio, has the lowest average veterinary care costs (annual exam), which is 2.4 times lower than in Plano, Texas, the city with the highest.
- Fort Wayne, Indiana, has the lowest monthly dog-insurance premium, which is 3.3 times lower than in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, the cities with the highest.
- Scottsdale, Arizona, has the most pet businesses (per square root of the population), which is 8.2 times more than in Newark, New Jersey, the city with the fewest.
