The 10 Most Dog-Friendly Cities in The United States

Any pet parent who has traveled with their pup knows that when it comes to dog-friendly attractions and accommodations, some cities are pulling their weight more than others. In one town, it might be impossible to find a single pet-friendly hotel room to crash in — while in the next one over, dogs are perching on bar stools and receiving spa treatments. We know which your pup wants to visit (or settle down in), and thanks to new research, now you don’t have to guess before you arrive. In honor of National Dog Day, LawnStarter gathered data on cities across America to find out which spots are the most welcoming to our four legged besties. 

The 10 most dog-friendly cities 

LawnStarter analyzed five metrics across the 500 largest cities: community, care, businesses, affordability, and housing. Each factor was given a score out of 100 and ranked against the other 500 towns. These are the cities that made the top ten cut.

10. Austin, TX

With an overall score of 43.7, Austin comes in as the tenth most dog-friendly city. The capital city ranks 56th for dog-friendly housing and 73rd for community. Its most impressive ranking by far is for dog-friendly businesses: It has the second-highest number of any city analyzed. It’s no surprise to us, given that some of Austin’s most popular hang-outs are named Dog House Drinkery, MUTTS Canine Cantina, and Yard Bar. 

9. Fort Myers, FL

Fort Myers is in first place for care — but its score slips for accessibility, since it ranks 385th for affordability and 454th for housing. 

8. Wilmington, NC

Ranking second for care is Wilmington, North Carolina. Wilmington comes in 88th for community, 81st for businesses, and 331st for affordability. 

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7. Bend, OR

Impressively, Bend is ranked fourth for community, 27th for care, and 42nd for businesses. The city comes in at 244 for affordability and 110 for housing. 

6. Orlando, FL 

Goofy isn’t the only dog living it up in sunny Orlando. Orlando ranks third for care and 15th for businesses — but it comes in at 257 for community and 281 for affordability.

5. Santa Monica, CA 

The fifth most dog-friendly city is Santa Monica, CA. Santa Monica ranks first for community, which 11.9 animal shelters for every 100,000 residents and 5.4 dog meet-ups per 100,000 residents. It comes in at an impressive 29th for affordability, too. 

4. Tucson, AZ 

Tucson ranks 6th for care with 18 animal hospitals, 12th for businesses with 264 dog-friendly restaurants, and 34th for community. Its high price tag drags down its score, though; Tucson comes in at 491 for affordability. 

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3. Santa Fe, NM

Bringing home bronze is Santa Fe. It ranks second for housing, with 89 percent of its rentals being dog-friendly and an average yard size of 24,438 square feet. Its community rank is 11 and its care ranking is 26, with 30.8 kennels per 100,000 residents. 

2. Asheville, NC

The second-most dog-friendly city is Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville ranks 9th for community with 7.5 animal shelters per 100,000 people, 10th for care with 53 veterinarians per 100,000 residents, and 14th for businesses with 28 dog-friendly shopping centers.  Its affordability ranking is significantly worse, though; Asheville is the 437th most affordable city. 

1. Scottsdale, AZ

With the winning score of 48.35, Scottsdale is the most dog-friendly city. Scottsdale ranks 5th for community. It’s 7th best for businesses with 840 dog-friendly accommodations, and 24th for care with 10 animal hospitals. Scottsdale ranks 49th for housing and 203rd for affordability. 

Some more fun facts

Not all cities with impressive rankings made the top ten list. New York City is number one for dog-friendly businesses, and Los Angeles is number three. The most affordable city for dog parents is San Ramon, California, which ranks 219th on the list. The city with the most dog-friendly housing options is Sandy Springs, Georgia, which comes in at 213 overall.