The 10 most dog-friendly states in America

When choosing a new place to live, there are many relevant concerns for the human members of your family: what is the quality of the local schools? What job opportunities are available?

But if you have a dog in your life – and 45.5% of Americans do – there are additional issues to take into account. This is especially true given that nearly all American pet owners, across every demographic background, consider their animal companions to be part of their family, according to a 2023 Pew report.

Highland Cabinetry, a contracting business, recently released an analysis of the best states for pet owners to rent an apartment, a hotel room, or a house. The rankings prioritized several factors, including the number of pet-friendly apartments and hotels, the average cost of pet insurance, and the overall pet ownership rate.

“Finding pet-friendly housing goes beyond simply identifying places that accept pets. It’s about understanding the broader ecosystem that supports pet ownership,” a spokesperson for Highland Cabinetry said of the study. “Finding pet-friendly housing goes beyond simply identifying places that accept pets. It’s about understanding the broader ecosystem that supports pet ownership.”

Continue reading to learn more about the 10 best states for dog ownership based on the Highland Cabinetry analysis.

10. South Carolina

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 9,234

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 2,190

Average cost of pet insurance: $31.35

9. Oregon

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 9,676

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 2,615

Average cost of pet insurance: $36.75

8. Tennessee

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 13,874

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 3,191

Average cost of pet insurance: $32.64

7. Nebraska

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 3,147

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 333

Average cost of pet insurance: $30.39

6. Texas

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 106,613

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 8,339

Average cost of pet insurance: $31.17

5. North Carolina

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 29,411

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 5,401

Average cost of pet insurance: $31.96

4. Florida

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 52,119

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 13,995

Average cost of pet insurance: $30.79

3. Colorado

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 28,038

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 2,737

Average cost of pet insurance: $38.17

2. Wyoming

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 215

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 301

Average cost of pet insurance: $26.66

1. Vermont

Number of pet-friendly apartments: 264

Number of pet-friendly hotels: 514

Average cost of pet insurance: $30.27

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