The 10 most pet-friendly cities for renters
Renters often differ on the kinds of amenities they consider essential in a living space, but a new survey reveals one amenity that many won't sign without: pet-friendliness.
Pet-friendly rental listings are in popular demand, according to Zillow's latest Consumer Home Trends Report, which shows that 59% of renters in 2022 reported at least one furry friend. That's up from 46% in 2019, before pandemic lockdowns triggered a surge in pet adoptions, as people confined to their homes overwhelmingly turned to dogs and cats for emotional comfort and companionship.
Twice as many users on the Zillow website tapped the filter for pet-friendly listings than for any other amenity, the report shows. More than half of rental listings on the site indicate they allow pets.
"Pets are widely considered part of the American family," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert, in a statement. "So it makes sense that they factor into moving decisions and impact housing preferences."
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As more pet-owners compete for apartments that allow animals, Zillow has enhanced its search process with a Moving with Pets page where renters can enter an address and get a map of existing pet amenities in the area.
Most pet-welcoming cities
The company said it analyzed thousands of single-family and apartment rental listings to find the cities with the most available animal-friendly units.
"This data shows us that in certain cities, pet-friendly apartments are easier to find," Pendleton said. Topping the list is Austin, with 80.8% of its listings allowing pets.
Out of 100 cities with the most rental listings on Zillow, here are the 10 pet-friendliest for renters to park their litter boxes, doggie beds, tanks and birdcages:
- Austin, Texas – 80.8% of rental listings allow pets
- Dallas, Texas – 78%
- Fort Worth, Texas – 77.2%
- Charlotte, North Carolina – 76.6%
- Denver, Colorado – 76.5%
- San Antonio, Texas – 75.8%
- Indianapolis, Indiana – 74.7%
- Kansas City, Missouri – 73.4%
- Seattle, Washington – 73.1%
- New York City – 72.2%