Zillow Releases the Names of the Top 10 Pet-Friendly Cities in America for Renters
Rebecca West
So, you're a pet owner that has decided to forego homeownership, or perhaps you sold your humble abode during the recent housing boom. Either way, you own a pet(s) and you still need a decent place to live. If you're not averse to moving, and maybe that was your plan all along, there are 10 cities in particular that are being touted as the pet-friendliest for renters.
According to a recent survey by Zillow, the takeaway in rental trends is that more people are searching for rentals that allow pets since the pandemic. In fact, twice as many renters filter for pet-friendly listings than for any other amenity on the Zillow website.
The results were part of the latest Consumer Home Trends Report, which showed that 59 percent of renters in 2022 reported having at least one pet, up from 46 percent in 2019.
"As more people started working from home, pet ownership soared during the pandemic," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. "Pets are widely considered part of the American family, so it makes sense that they factor into moving decisions and impact housing preferences. Renters with pets who are planning to sign a new lease this year face even stiffer competition because they are limited to apartments where their furry friends are allowed. This data shows us that in certain cities, pet-friendly apartments are easier to find."
As part of their attempt to become America's one-stop-shopping hub for movers, they've enhanced their search process with a handy "Moving with Pets" page where users of the site can enter an address and get a map of existing pet amenities in the area.
As of January, more than half (55.1 percent) of rental listings on Zillow indicated they allow pets. They noted that they'd analyzed thousands of single-family and apartment rental listings to find the cities with the most available pet-friendly units, and Texas came out on top.
"This data shows us that in certain cities, pet-friendly apartments are easier to find," Pendleton added.
Out of 100 cities with the most rental listings on Zillow, here are the 10 most pet-friendly for renters to pack their pooches off to — or their kitties, or whatever other pets they may have to declare when moving:
• Austin, Texas – 80.8 percent of rental listings allow pets
• Dallas, Texas – 78 percent
• Fort Worth, Texas – 77.2 percent
• Charlotte, North Carolina – 76.6 percent
• Denver, Colorado – 76.5 percent
• San Antonio, Texas – 75.8 percent
• Indianapolis, Indiana – 74.7 percent
• Kansas City, Missouri – 73.4 percent
• Seattle, Washington – 73.1 percent
• New York City – 72.2 percent
