NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — For the vast majority of pet parents, animals are more than just four-legged companions living rent-free in their homes. Based on a Pew Research Center survey, 97% of pet owners consider their furry friends as part of their family.
With pets living in 66% of U.S. households, pet ownership is at an all-time high, according to Forbes Advisor. As a result, interest in pet-friendly cities is growing, as well.
In addition, Forbes Advisor said recent data shows that 82% of those looking to buy a home consider their pets’ needs as important as, if not more important than, their own.
After all, some cities make it easier for furry friends to enjoy long and healthy lives thanks to more affordable veterinary care, better access to vet services, and a plethora of pet-friendly spaces.
Forbes Advisor compared the 81 most populated cities with available data across 13 key metrics spanning four categories — dog veterinary cost, cat veterinary cost, veterinary access, and pet-friendly spaces — to uncover the best cities for pet owners.
Two cities in the Volunteer State made the list:
| Check out more lists and rankings from across Tennessee →
The full list of the top 20 pet-friendly cities is included below:
Rank | City | Dog vet cost score | Cat vet cost score | Vet access score | Pet-friendly spaces score | Overall score |
1 | Kansas City, MO | 98.75 | 98.75 | 75.63 | 64.49 | 100 |
2 | Nashville, TN | 96.24 | 96.24 | 61.88 | 84.04 | 98.91 |
3 | Albuquerque, NM | 91.22 | 91.22 | 61.25 | 95.22 | 98.53 |
4 | Raleigh, NC | 79.94 | 79.94 | 91.88 | 79.7 | 97.09 |
5 | Wichita, KS | 100 | 100 | 72.5 | 49.91 | 96.04 |
6 | Louisville, KY | 96.24 | 96.24 | 80 | 47.96 | 95.52 |
7 | Tucson, AZ | 91.22 | 91.22 | 63.75 | 77.25 | 94.51 |
8 | Greensboro, NC | 91.22 | 91.22 | 78.13 | 58.01 | 94.19 |
9 | Cincinnati, OH | 91.22 | 91.22 | 71.88 | 59.46 | 92.45 |
10 | Tulsa, OK | 91.22 | 91.22 | 77.5 | 51.16 | 91.91 |
11 | Omaha, NE | 98.75 | 98.75 | 66.25 | 44.69 | 91.64 |
12 | Lexington, KY | 79.94 | 79.94 | 100 | 45.95 | 90.71 |
13 | Norfolk, VA | 79.94 | 79.94 | 80 | 70.08 | 90.22 |
14 | Austin, TX | 79.94 | 79.94 | 73.13 | 73.48 | 88.8 |
15 | Jacksonville, FL | 79.94 | 79.94 | 74.38 | 59.59 | 85.67 |
16 | Virginia Beach, VA | 79.94 | 79.94 | 80 | 51.98 | 85.31 |
17 | Chesapeake, VA | 79.94 | 79.94 | 80 | 50.97 | 85.04 |
18 | Oklahoma City, OK | 96.24 | 96.24 | 73.13 | 13.89 | 83.93 |
19 | Columbus, OH | 71.16 | 71.16 | 90.63 | 51.1 | 82.94 |
20 | Memphis, TN | 91.22 | 91.22 | 51.88 | 38.21 | 79.87 |
To check out the other 61 cities analyzed by Forbes Advisor for their level of pet-friendliness, as well as the methodology of the study, click here.
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