MOST DOG-FRIENDLY CITIES IN AMERICA – 2021 EDITION

It’s no secret that the U.S. is absolutely dog crazy. According to an American Pet Products Association survey of pet owners from 2019-2020, more than half of all American households, or 63.4 million homes, had dogs.

When it comes to taking care of their pooches, Americans spend an average of $1,200 per year on Fido, a recent survey found. While the expenses can certainly add up, where you live can make your canine’s companionship that much more enjoyable – not to mention easier. With that in mind, SmartAsset analyzed data to identify and rank the most dog-friendly cities in the country.

Key Findings

• Tucson still has dogs wagging their tails. Tucson, Arizona is the No. 1 dog-friendly city in the country for the second year in a row. A high concentration of pet stores and vet offices, paired with sunny weather and affordable homes, makes Tucson a great place to care for a dog.
  
  
• Cities with the most dog parks are located in Western states. The top five cities in the study with the most dog parks include four in Western states. Boise, Idaho has the most dog parks per 100,000 residents (6.3), followed by Portland, Oregon (5.8) and Henderson, Nevada (5.1). San Francisco, California (4.2) ties for fourth-highest spot for this metric. Overall, the 100 cities in our study have an average of 1.5 dog parks per 100,000 residents.

1. Tucson, AZ

Tucson, Arizona has the fifth-highest number of pet stores and vet offices for every 10,000 establishments across our entire study. The city also ranks in the top 20 for both dog-friendly restaurants (254) and days of precipitation per year (22.8). Tucson also ranks within the top 40 for dog parks per 100,000 residents (1.4).

2. Tampa, FL

With the sixth-highest number of dog parks for every 100,000 residents (4.1), Tampa, Florida is next on our list. The city also has the 18th-highest number of dog-friendly restaurants across our study (238). Tampa ranks among the top 35 cities for walkability, as well as pet stores and vet offices per 10,000 establishments.

3. Portland, OR

Portland, Oregon has more dog parks for every 100,000 residents (5.8) than any other city in our study except Boise, Idaho. The Rose City also ranks third for number of pet stores and vet offices per 10,000 establishments (91.32) and seventh for number of dog-friendly restaurants (408). Meanwhile, Portland has the 18th-best walk score across this study.

4. Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque, New Mexico ranks 13th-best for number of dog parks per 100,000 residents (2.6) and 28th-best for number of dog-friendly restaurants (176). Albuquerque is also in the top half of cities for its concentration of pet stores and vet offices (more than 66 for every 10,000 establishments), days of precipitation per year (less than 56) and median home value ($211,800).

5. Madison, WI

Coming in at No. 5, Madison, Wisconsin has the highest concentration of pet stores and vet offices in our study (more than 111 for every 10,000 establishments) and is tied for having the fourth-highest number of dog parks per 100,000 residents, at 4.2. While Madison ranks 91st out of all 100 cities for number of days with precipitation (130.9 per year), the city has the ninth-highest number of dog-friendly shopping centers overall (12).

6. Las Vegas, NV

Known as “America’s Playground,” Las Vegas, Nevada has the seventh-highest number of dog parks per 100,000 residents, making it a great place for dogs to play, too. Vegas ranks 17th-best for relatively few days of precipitation (25 per year) and 21st-best for number of dog-friendly restaurants (220).

7. St. Petersburg, FL

Like its larger neighbor Tampa, just across the bay, St. Petersburg, Florida ranks within the top 20 for its relatively high number of dog parks per 100,000 residents (2.3). The city also has a relatively high concentration of pet stores and vet offices (more than 85 for every 10,000 establishments), sixth-highest across all 100 cities in the study.

8. San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, California may have the highest median home value of all 100 cities in our study ($1.2 million), but it’s also the second-most walkable city and tied for having the fourth-highest number of dog parks per 100,000 residents (4.2). San Francisco also ranks in the top 25% of our study for relatively few days of precipitation (less than 28 per year) and number of dog-friendly restaurants (193).

9. San Diego, CA

With 566 dog-friendly restaurants, San Diego, California ranks second only to Chicago, Illinois for this metric. It’s also no surprise that sunny San Diego ranks highly for its weather, with only approximately 19 days of precipitation per year (the 14th-fewest overall). This Southern California city is also in the top 20 for number of dog-friendly shopping centers, with eight.

10. Denver, CO

Denver, Colorado, which ranked No. 13 in last year’s study, fetches the No. 10 spot this time around. This city ranks in the top third of our study for dog parks per 100,000 residents (1.9), walkability, dog-friendly restaurants (250), dog-friendly shopping centers (six) and days of precipitation per year (43.0).