New Survey Ranks the Best U.S. Cities for Pet Parents

There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when you're deciding what part of the United States you want to live in. Of course things like how close you are to friends and family and the type of job opportunities you're interested in play a role, but more and more people are taking their pet's needs into consideration too when deciding where to call home.

Forbes recently compiled a survey of the Best Cities for Pet Owners in 2024 and the survey found that recent data shows that 87% of prospective homebuyers with pets consider their pets’ needs when choosing a neighborhood to live in. And more than three-quarters (82%) of those looking to buy a home regard their pets’ needs as important, if not more important, than their own. Considering a lot of us consider our pets our kids, it makes sense that we want to live in a place where our fur babies can live long and healthy lives.

To determine the most pet-friendly cities, Forbes Advisor compared the 81 most populated cities with available data across 13 key metrics spanning four categories: dog veterinary cost, cat veterinary cost, veterinary access and pet-friendly spaces. Here's where the top 5 cities rank.

5: Wichita, Kansas

Dog owners in Wichita pay the lowest prices for vet visits ($57.95 average cost), vaccinations ($196.82) and dental cleanings ($346.95 average cost).

Wichita is also home to seven off leash dog parks .

4: Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh ranks ninth for pet-friendly spaces, with the 10th highest percentage of pet-friendly apartments (88.7%) among the cities analyzed. According to Downtown Raleigh is home to many dog-friendly patios where you can enjoy a drink or meal while your furry friend gets some fresh air and sunshine.

3: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque cat owners also enjoy the eighth lowest prices for vet visits ($64.95 average cost), vaccinations ($91.22), spay and neuter surgeries ($283.70 average cost) and dental cleanings ($380.95 average cost).

2: Nashville, Tennessee

Dog owners in Nashville also pay the fifth lowest average amount for spay and neuter surgeries, at $479.20. The VisitMusicCity website lists lots of dog friendly parks, hotels, and places to dine. Just don't tell Knoxville, which is also very dog friendly.

1: Kansas City, Missouri

Getting the top dog place with a score of 100/100 is Kansas City, which is the overall best city in the nation for pet owners, in part thanks to its status as the second best city for both dog and cat veterinary costs.

It's refreshing to see so many places are adding amenities that are important to pet owners like pet-friendly parks and a place where you can grab a bite to eat on the patio with your dog or cat.

You can read the entire Forbes Advisor survey results here including information about how they determined which cities were best for pet owners, plus see infographics and the rest of the top 10 cities.

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