While many Americans have moved during the pandemic—due to remote work opportunities, changing jobs, or shifting family priorities—there’s a unique group moving for a different reason: to better accommodate their dogs.
With 88% of dog owners considering their dogs part of their family, it’s no surprise that these pet parents would move to make their pups happy—but where are they moving to?
Rover took a look at new dog accounts on their platform and Zillow dug into where pet-friendly home features are on the rise to come up with a list of the top 15 emerging dog-friendly cities. The list may surprise you as it’s not just full of major cities. This past year medium-sized cities, suburbs, and other populated areas have been growing in popularity with dog owners too.
Top 15 Emerging Dog-Friendly Cities:
- Denver, CO
- Orlando, FL
- Anaheim, CA
- Charlotte, NC
- Birmingham, AL
- Atlanta, GA
- Boston, MA
- Glendale, AZ
- New Orleans, LA
- Tampa, FL
- Fayetteville, NC
- Fort Worth, TX
- Miami, FL
- Nashville, TN
- Saint Petersburg, FL
The number one emerging dog-friendly city in 2021 is Denver. This city ranks high in part due to its plethora of parks, dog-friendly restaurants, and breweries—there’s even a speciality dog bakery!
The number two spot might surprise you: Orlando. It shouldn’t though! This city boasts lots of sunny parks for dogs to stretch their legs, plus there’s a growing number of dog parents from Orlando listed on Rover and plenty of mentions of dog-friendly features in Zillow listings.
The Majority of Pet Parents Say Pet-Friendly Home Features Are Important
The majority of dog owners surveyed (62%) say they would consider moving to a new house or rental for their dog, with 86% stating that pet-friendly features are an important factor in moving decisions.
- This includes things like having a dog door already installed, proximity to a dog park, and fenced-in yards.
- In fact, 84% of dog owners say they would spend more for these pet-friendly features and 86% say that having private outdoor space is important to them.
Dog-Friendly Homes Sell Faster
A Zillow report on 2020 home sales found that homes sold faster when their listings mentioned dog-friendly features.
Homes with fenced backyards, for example, sold five days faster than expected when this feature was called out in their listings. Similarly, homes that had a dog run in their listings sold four days faster than expected. And last but certainly not least, home listings that mentioned a dog house were associated with a 3% higher than expected sale price.
Dog Owners and Home Purchasing Trends By the Numbers
- Nearly half (40%) of dog owners are willing to pay $5,000 more when purchasing a home to have dog-friendly features.
- 26% are willing to pay $10,000 more.
- 12% are willing to pay $25,000 more.
- 10% are willing to pay $50,000 more.
- 12% said money is no object to accommodate their dog’s needs.
- 29% are willing to pay $50 more per month
- 30% are willing to pay $100 more per month
- 15% are willing to pay $250 more per month
- 9% are willing to pay $500 more per month
- 7% are willing to pay 1,000 more per month
- 10% said money is no object to accommodate their dog’s needs
The bottom line? Dogs have truly become a part of American families, so it follows that they factor heavily into moving decisions—and may even be the catalyst for them.
Interested in learning more about services Rover provides?
Dog Boarding | Pet Sitting | Dog Walking | Doggy Day Care | House Sitting | Dog Training
