“A dog is a man’s best friend,” or so the saying goes, so it only makes sense that when pet owners are considering where to lay down roots for themselves, their beloved pups play an integral role in that decision-making process.
Trying to find a city, town, or home that offers not only the amenities that every human in the family is looking for, but also the furry members of the brood can seem like an impossible task, particularly for those who want to settle down in a thriving metropolis, where the dwellings are often smaller and the green open spaces are few and far between.
However, that search for the ideal pup-friendly location has now been made just a tiny bit easier thanks to a new ranking that reveals the best (and worst) cities across the U.S. for dog lovers and their pets.
LawnStarter, a company that provides lawn care services in cities and towns across the U.S., did an in-depth analysis of all the amenities and services that dog lovers seek to rank 500 metros from best to worst.
Its methodology consisted of doing a deep dive into metrics in five dog-friendly categories and weighting them accordingly.
These are the five key areas LawnStarter looked at to ascertain which cities across the U.S. provide the best environment for dogs and their owners:
- Care (36%): Analyzing the availability of veterinary and pet service networks, including the number of vets, emergency clinics and specialists, along with groomers, sitters, trainers, and boarding options.
- Community (28%): A look at how a city supports dogs beyond the backyard with amenities like dog parks, walking routes, and local events, as well as animal welfare laws, shelter access, and breeder regulations.
- Businesses (12%): An in-depth look at how dog-friendly a city’s commercial spaces are, including restaurants, hotels, and shopping centers, as well as services like pet transport and food delivery.
- Housing (16%): How well each city’s homes fit life with a dog, looking at average home and yard size along with the share of rental properties that welcome dogs.
- Affordability (8%): The cost of core pet services relative to income. This includes prices for grooming, sitting, training, and insurance.
After taking all of those factors into consideration, the team came up with some unexpected insights, including the fact that dogs can actually thrive in major metros like New York City (No. 4), Austin, TX (No. 15), Los Angeles (No. 30), and Charlotte, NC (No. 31).
While these cities do not offer the same wide spaces as some smaller towns, they make up for that with walkable streets, parks, and plenty of access to pet amenities and emergency care.
“Allen, TX (No. 25), and Frisco, TX (No. 57), offer the biggest homes in the ranking, while Murfreesboro, TN (No. 102) and Suffolk, VA (No. 121), lead for yard space,” the company added in a statement.
The South won out for the most dog-friendly cities, landing 28 metros on the top 50 list, including Asheville, NC, which claimed the No. 2 spot on the list overall.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the analysis also revealed the extreme toll that the cost of pet care can have on owners, with several bustling metros—Detroit (No. 460), Newark, NJ (No. 476), and Hartford, CT (No. 483)—landing on the list of worst dog cities because of a lack of affordability in these kinds of services.
The top 10 cities, on the other hand, offered top-notch pet services and amenities across the board—from wide spaces for pups to play to incredible medical services.
Here are the best in show as far as dog-friendly homes in these winning metros.
Top 10 U.S. cities for dog lovers
1. Frederick, MD
102 Sunlight Drive, Frederick, MD
Price: $729,900
This four-bedroom, 4.5-bath, 3,920-square-foot Colonial sits on a grassy 8,276-square-foot fenced-in lot. And if that’s not enough space for your four-footed friend to run around in, this home backs up onto a huge, park-like common area.
It’s part of a community called Cloveridge, with sidewalks, playgrounds, and a community pool, perfect for pets and families.
The interior is extra pet and family friendly as well, with a carpeted runner going up the stairs, and easy-clean tile flooring in kitchens and baths. In addition, the well-maintained home is situated within minutes of parks, schools, shopping, and services—many of them dog friendly, so you and your pet can enjoy them together.
2. Asheville, NC
60 Dorchester Ave, Asheville, NC
Price: $799,995
This storybook Asheville classic was built in 1919, but has been immaculately restored so that every inch of its 1,774 square feet is tasteful, warm, and inviting to both man and beast. It features three bedrooms and 2.5 baths, with a very practical and accommodating kitchen.
The well-landscaped backyard is fenced and shaded by over 100-year-old trees, and features an extensive wooden deck, as well as ample play space, making the best use of its quarter-acre lot. From here, it’s an easy, breezy walk to the dog-friendly Sunny Point Cafe and other similarly accommodating eateries and shops.
3. Scottsdale, AZ
8743 E Rancho Vista Dr, Scottsdale, AZ
Price: $950,000
Upscale Scottsdale is known for its year-round sunshine, which accommodates four-season dog walking. But it’s also known for its heated desert landscapes, which are not always dog friendly. So a home like this three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,593-square-foot beauty with shady outdoor porches, trees, and gathering areas is quite the find.
The single-story, open floor plan is good for older pets and family members who don’t want to deal with stairs, and the modern, up to the minute finishes and appliances are extremely low maintenance. The new, pebble tech pool with the Baja shelf is a special treat for water-loving canines on hot days.
4. New York, NY
450 W 17th St Apt 1910, Manhattan, NY
Price: $1,690,000
It might come as a bit of a shock that such a hustling metropolis would be near the top of the most dog friendly cities list, and while there are next to zero houses available with yards or prices under $1 million, there are several pricy condos and apartment buildings in Manhattan high-rises that boast fabulous dog amenities, like this one bedroom unit still listed in The Caledonia.
It’s located right on the High Line and has its own pet entrance door, wash room, and in‑building pet spa and grooming facility operated by a professional dog-care company that can also arrange for walks, day care, and feeding. Proximity to Hudson River Park gives residents quick access to major dog runs.
5. Santa Fe, NM
4259 Snow Bird, Santa Fe, NM
Price: $549,900
You get a lot more for your money in Santa Fe, like this attractive three-bedroom, two-bath 1,570-square-foot hacienda with a shady, completely fenced in backyard on a 5,227-square-foot lot. As a bonus, it has all new HVAC and hot water systems, backed by solar energy.
Dog friendly features include cool, wood-look tile floors, where dogs love to snooze, an updated, walk-in shower for easy canine cleaning, low-maintenance landscaping, and quick and easy access to numerous walking trails, parks, shopping, pet-friendly dining, and services.
6. Wilmington, NC
6809 Lipscomb Dr, Wilmington, NC 28412
Price: $389,000
Calling all Labs, goldens, other retrievers, doodles, and additional water-loving breeds. This home is situated conveniently close to not one, but two major bodies of water, the Cape Fear River on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. There is no end to the fun you and your owner can have strolling along the shore, fetching, digging and playing with your buddies.
The pristine, three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,442-square-foot home has scratch and stain resistant luxury vinyl flooring, so you don’t have to worry about making a mess. Also located on the .38 acre lot is a large, fenced backyard with mature trees for shade and an oversized covered area, ideal for napping outside. When the weather’s not ideal, you can watch what’s going on out there from a cozy enclosed sun porch. Doggie heaven!
7. Orlando, FL
14042 Mailer Blvd, Orlando, FL
Price: $568,000
It seems that Orlando is not just a haven for Disney moms, dads, and kids, but also for their four-legged family members. Especially in Avalon Park South Village, where residents of this four-bedroom, three-bath, 2,711-square-foot home can enjoy dog friendly amenities including a splash pad, gated playgrounds, jogging and biking trails, a dog park, and fields for football, soccer, and baseball.
The home also has its own assets of special interest to pet owners, such as a 7,757-square-foot lot with a low maintenance backyard that features an expansive grassy lawn and a covered patio, an open floor plan, and numerous windows allowing lots of natural light in, and plenty of views outside, so pets can be endlessly entertained by watching the goings on outside.
8. Santa Monica, CA
822 Pine St, Santa Monica, CA
Price: $2,295,000
With its high walkability, dog friendly amenities, and abundance of pet services, Santa Monica may be ideal for dogs, but not so much for their owners. As of this writing, there were fewer than 10 listings for houses with fenced yards for under $3 million! And at the moment, there were no high-rise condos available with ultra fancy dog services like those in New York.
But if a million-plus price tag is not an issue for you, you and your pup may appreciate this four-bedroom, three-bath, 1,810-square-foot Spanish-style home built in 1932 and thoughtfully restored. There’s a spacious, grassy, and walled-in yard in back with an ADU, which could be rented to someone with a four-legged playmate. The home sits on a 6,447 square foot lot and is conveniently located close to the shops, parks, and cafes on Lincoln and Ocean Park boulevards, and is only seven blocks to the beach (where no dogs are allowed on the sand near the ocean—something tells us the metrics didn’t take that into consideration).
9. Raleigh, NC
6313 Southern Charm Ln, Raleigh, NC
Price: $550,000
Nothing could be finer than this lovely, three-bedroom, three-bath, 2,781-square-foot traditional, surrounded by more than half an acre of grass and trees. There’s plenty of room to stretch out and sniff in the spacious backyard, and the front yard looks out over a pond—the ideal dog walking destination. In fact, this neighborhood is filled with green spaces and enough strolling areas to delight both four- and two-legged residents alike, and it’s not far from dog friendly cafes and other businesses.
An abundance of windows illuminate the interior, with views to keep the fur babies entertained even when their people aren’t present. There’s a cozy, wood-burning fireplace to stretch out by, and lots of open space so you can feel your best friend’s companionship in almost every room.
10. Bend, OR
61160 Hilmer Creek Dr, Bend, OR
Price: $790,000
This stylish, 2003 built, one-owner home may not have the biggest backyard of the bunch, but there’s still plenty of room to play ball and do other doggie duties. In addition, there are great amenities for the humans there too, including nice landscaping, a paver patio, and a hot tub, so you’ll all want to spend a lot of outdoor time there together.
Speaking of outdoor time, there are walking trails along a canal and a community park just a few steps away from this recently updated, chic, four-bedroom, two-bath, 1,700-square-foot home on a 8,712-square-foot lot. It provides ideal lifestyle living for people and pets in this area of the country.