Being a dog owner doesn’t come cheap, with vet bills, food, toys, and treats all likely to be regular expenses, but it’s cheaper to have a pet in some places than others.
Taking into account everything from the price of the best dog food , adjusted for the cost of living, to pet insurance premiums, consumer trends experts at online discount platform Wethrift found the most and least expensive states to be a dog parent in, and their finding makes for interesting reading – as does this list of the most expensive dog breeds !
The most expensive states are scattered across the US, from New England right over to the Pacific, but Massachusetts sits at the top. The total annual cost to have a dog in the Bay State averages out at $2,275.97, which is 35.78% above the average yearly cost in the US.
Hawaii and New York sit in second and third place respectively, with total annual costs averaging out at $2,198.30 and $2,164.24 respectively. Pet insurance alone in New York costs $1,008.84 per year on average, while food in Hawaii costs a whopping $1,185.45 per year – probably because it needs transporting from the mainland US.
Most expensive US states to be a dog owner
Massachusets
Hawaii
New York
Maryland
Connecticut
Arizona
Virginia
New Hampshire
California
Alaska
On the other end of the scale, however, Kansas is the least expensive state to be a dog parent in. You’ll save over $800 a year on average, with a total annual cost averaging out at $1,403.40 – this is 16.28% below the US average. Vaccines are cheapest here, too, costing an average of $201.67 each year, 9.40% below the average.
Next up are Louisiana and Oklahoma, both only slightly more expensive at $1,432.04 and $1,435.09 respectively. Pet insurance in the former costs just $550.20 a year on average, while food in Oklahoma is particularly cheap, averaging out at $569.54 each year.
By and large, the least expensive states to be a dog parent in are located in the Midwest and South.
Cheapest US states to be a dog owner
Kansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Mississippi
Missouri
Iowa
Kentucky
South Dakota
Illinois
Michigan
Would you like to save money as a pet parent? Whether you live in Massachusetts, Kansas, or somewhere in between, don’t miss out on these simple ways to save money . You might find this article from a fellow pet parent interesting, too: Here’s how I save money as a pet owner without compromising on care .
You might also enjoy: Which state loves dogs the most? And find out which are the most pet -friendly cities in the US ?
