Zillow and Rover's Top Emerging Dog-Friendly Cities for 2021
More than 1 in 10 Americans say they moved in the past year, often driven by shifting family priorities or increased flexibility while working remotely. But one group flies under the radar: Pet parents making a move for their dogs’ sake. Dogs have truly become a part of American families, so it follows that they factor heavily into moving decisions — and may even be the catalyst for some.
According to a new survey from
Rover.com and Zillow, 24% of dog owners in the U.S. have moved into a new home since March 2020, and 62% would consider moving to a new home to better accommodate their dog. With that group in mind, Zillow and Rover teamed up to rank the top emerging dog-friendly cities for 2021. Rover looked at new dog accounts on their platform (whether from dog owners new to the area or longtime residents with a newly adopted dog), and Zillow dug into cities where dog-friendly rentals and listings mentioning home features dog owners covet are on the rise.
Home has taken on new meaning during the pandemic and Americans are moving for all kinds of reasons as they reevaluate what they want their home to be, including what's best for their four-legged family members. Homes with a dog house often sold for more than expected last year, while homes with a fenced yard or dog run sold faster than similar homes without these features, even in a year where the market was moving exceptionally fast.
"This year, we spent an extraordinary amount of time with our pets, and many of us relied on their companionship more than ever. As a result, our emotional bonds with our pets also strengthened," said Kate Jaffe, trends expert at Rover. "Pets are taking on an even greater role in our families, so it follows that our dogs’ needs are a top priority for pet parents considering a new home."
Top 15 Emerging Dog-Friendly Cities, according to Zillow and Rover:
Denver took the top spot, largely because of the number of new Rover accounts created, followed by Orlando and Anaheim. Orlando experienced strong growth (4%) in the number of rentals listed as dog-friendly during the pandemic, and has one of the highest shares of for-sale listings mentioning dog parks. The share of for-sale listings that feature a dog run in Anaheim was among the highest of all markets analyzed.
A large majority of dog owners surveyed (86%) said dog-friendly features — things like a home with a dog door or living near a dog park — are an important factor in their moving decision, and 84% said they are willing to spend more for these features.
A fenced-in outdoor space is the most-desired home feature for dog owners — and the share of listings mentioning fenced yards and outdoor spaces grew more during the pandemic than any other dog-friendly feature Zillow analyzed. But interested buyers should strike quickly when a home with a yard for their dog catches their eye — homes sold 5 days faster than expected last year when the listing mentioned a fenced yard.
Methodology
Top Emerging Dog-Friendly Cities ranking is according to Rover’s database of over 1 million pets, from an April 2021 report of new dog accounts in U.S. cities, and Zillow rentals and for-sale listings data. For each city, Rover data on trends in new dog accounts was combined with Zillow data on the share and year-over-year growth of rentals listed as pet-friendly, and the change in frequency of pet-friendly features mentioned in for-sale listings for all homes sold in 2020. The final ranking put equal weight on both Rover and Zillow data — and within Zillow data, equal weight was given to data on frequency of pet-friendly features mentioned in for-sale listings and the share of pet-friendly rentals. Only cities with a population of 200,000 or greater according to 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimates were considered.
Survey results are based on a Rover and Zillow survey of 1,000 US dog owners via Pollfish in April 2021.
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