A data study performed by Zumper to determine the most pet-friendly cities across the United States saw New York City rank 95th out of 100 cities on the list.
The low ranking in the study was thanks in large part to the conclusion reached that determined residents who reside in pet-friendly homes in New York City pay an average of $250 extra in rent each month.
The data compiled for this study includes metrics on the average price of pet-friendly rentals and percentage of pet-friendly apartments on Zumper, the number of parks and vets per capita, as well as average vet costs, walk-score and air quality. The only cities in the study to score lower than New York City were Jersey City, N.J., Anaheim, Calif., Santa Ana, Calif. and Urban Honolulu, Hawaii.
A variety of factors were incorporated into this study. Data from multiple sources was considered and designated weights were utilized for each category.
The median one-bedroom rental prices, sourced from Zumper, reflected the affordability of housing in each city. Zumper also provided the percentage of pet-friendly apartments in each city, indicating the level of accommodation for pet owners. The US Census and OpenStreetMap were used to determine the availability of parks and dog parks per capita, highlighting the green spaces accessible to residents and their pets. OpenStreetMap and the US Census were also used to establish the number of veterinarians per capita, indicating the availability of pet care services.
The cost of veterinary services was obtained from COLI.org, allowing for affordability in terms of pet healthcare to be examined. The US Environmental Protection Agency provided data for 2022’s average Air Quality Index values, contributing to the evaluation of the cities’ environmental conditions. Walkability scores from Walkscore.com were also considered, determining the ease of pedestrian movement and the availability of pet-friendly walking areas in each city.
The $250 monthly rent increase in New York City was the largest such increase from non-pet-friendly to pet-friendly homes found in the study. However, New York City also ranked as the third-best city when it came to walkability for pets, with a myriad of pet-friendly spaces to enjoy.
A series of grades were provided in different categories for each city in the test. New York City received Fs in price grade, park per capita grade, vet per capita grade and vet cost grade, meaning it ranked in the bottom 20% of all the cities in this study in each of these categories. The city got a D in the percentage of pet-friendly apartments and air quality index grade, ranking above the bottom 20% . It aced the walk-score grade though, ranking higher than 80% of the cities in the study.
