🐾 Best and Worst States to Own a Dog

Rank	State	Composite Score
1	North Dakota	59
2	Montana	51
3	New Hampshire	48
4	Florida	46
5	Vermont	44

Rank	State	Composite Score
44	Illinois	18
45	Louisiana	18
46	Rhode Island	13
47	Connecticut	10
48	New York	8

 

 

🐕 The Expert View - Pet Nutritionist, Dana Harris 

 

Why are the top 5 perfect for pets?

1. North Dakota (Score: 59)

North Dakota’s wide-open spaces, low population density, and high proportion of dog owners make it the clear leader. Access to state and national parkland allows dogs to live active, healthy lives.

North Dakota stands out as one of the best states for dog ownership. One of the reasons dogs thrive here is the access to outdoor spaces, such as, Bismarck’s Century Bark Park, for example, offers four fenced fields where dogs can run freely, and Medora’s Ruff Riders Dog Park is open year-round for pets to socialize and exercise.”

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2. Montana (Score: 51)

Montana ranks highly due to its vast parklands, outdoor lifestyle, and strong pet ownership culture.

One of the things that makes Montana special for dogs is the sheer amount of outdoor space. Bozeman’s Snowfill Recreation Area alone spans 37 acres with two miles of trails, and cities like Billings and Great Falls offer dedicated dog parks where pets can run safely off-leash.

The climate here actually offers a lot of variety for outdoor activity. Mountain areas bring cold winters, while valleys are milder. Dogs get to enjoy hiking, skiing, and even swimming depending on the season. Pet owners just need to be mindful of seasonal extremes to keep their pets safe and comfortable

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3. New Hampshire (Score: 48)

New Hampshire benefits from high dog ownership rates and a strong small-town culture that welcomes pets, alongside an active outdoor scene.

New Hampshire is a playground for dogs who love adventure and community. They can hike trails that climb above the treeline, splash in quiet lakes, or run along off-leash beaches that feel endless. All of this is underpinned by clear guidelines for pet access from the NH government website.

Across all seasons, dogs here get to swim, explore, parade, and play in ways that feel almost tailor-made for them. It’s rare to find a state where pets can have such a mix of adventure, freedom, and community all in one place.

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4. Florida (Score: 46)

Florida’s warm climate and growing pet infrastructure help it rise to #4, despite challenges from heat and humidity.

Florida is an incredible place for dogs who love warmth and adventure, with long, sandy beaches perfect for early morning walks, shady trails for hiking, and lakes and rivers where dogs can swim and splash to their hearts’ content.

The growing pet infrastructure - like dog parks, groomers, and pet-friendly communities - makes it easy to keep dogs healthy and social, though owners have to be mindful of heat and humidity, planning walks in cooler hours and keeping water on hand to ensure their pets can enjoy the outdoors safely and happily.

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5. Vermont (Score: 44)

Vermont combines affordability, greenery, and pet-friendly communities to secure its top-five position.

Vermont feels like a quiet paradise for dogs, with rolling hills, dense forests, and country roads that let dogs roam freely and safely, while small towns are pet-friendly, offering a sense of community where dogs can be part of everyday life; the state’s affordability allows owners to invest in their pets, from better food and vet care to long hikes and playful adventures in meadows and along trails, and every season brings something new, whether it’s spring wildflowers, autumn leaves, or winter snow.

 

Why might the bottom 5 tough for pet owners?

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44. Illinois (Score: 18)

Urban density, high costs, and limited pet-friendly rentals make Illinois challenging for owners.

Illinois can be a challenge for dog owners, especially in dense cities where apartments are expensive and few rentals accept pets, and public green spaces are crowded, but for owners willing to plan carefully, dogs can still enjoy neighborhood walks, trips to dog parks, or weekend escapes to open trails and parks outside the city, making the experience rewarding though it requires commitment and creativity.

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45. Louisiana (Score: 18)

Louisiana struggles with humidity, low vet access, and high living costs for dog owners.

Louisiana offers mild winters and water adventures, which dogs can enjoy through bayou walks or splashing in ponds and rivers, but owners must contend with humidity, fewer vets in rural areas, and higher costs, so providing a safe, comfortable, and enriching life for a dog here demands careful attention to climate, health, and activity.

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46. Rhode Island (Score: 13)

Rhode Island’s small size and high density reduce dog ownership quality.

Rhode Island’s small size and density mean dogs have less room to roam freely, but creative owners can make the most of off-leash beaches, quiet trails, and community green spaces, ensuring their pets stay active and happy despite the limited space, and with thoughtful planning, dogs can enjoy exploring parks, waterfronts, and hidden nooks across the state.

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47. Connecticut (Score: 10)

High housing costs and fewer green spaces weigh heavily on dog ownership in Connecticut.

Connecticut offers beautiful scenery, but high housing costs and limited green space make it important for dog owners to seek out trails, dog parks, and quiet neighborhoods, combining indoor and outdoor play to give pets exercise, stimulation, and socialization, so that even in a dense environment, dogs can thrive with attentive care.

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48. New York (Score: 8)

New York faces the steepest obstacles: higher costs, density, and pet rental restrictions.

“New York is tough for dogs, especially in urban areas where rents are high, apartments are small, and streets are crowded, but committed owners can still provide rich experiences through walks in parks, structured play sessions, trips to dog-friendly areas outside the city, and creative enrichment at home, making life challenging but rewarding for pets who get the attention, exercise, and interaction they need.

Full ranking - 2025 Data Study

Rank	State	Proportion of Dog Owners	Proportion of Rentals Allowing Dogs	Proportion of State and National Parks	Veterinarians per 100,000 people	Composite Score
1	North Dakota	44.30%	60.45%	8.8%	37.31	0.59
2	Montana	51.90%	53.44%	1.3%	44.61	0.51
3	New Hampshire	23.70%	253.05%	1.4%	44.50	0.48
4	Florida	39.80%	51.54%	9.5%	22.99	0.46
5	Vermont	28.30%	28.12%	6.1%	52.45	0.44
6	California	40.00%	47.19%	9.2%	21.46	0.44
7	Nebraska	47.10%	67.75%	0.1%	37.07	0.40
8	Washington	42.80%	67.65%	4.6%	24.07	0.38
9	Massachusetts	28.90%	38.38%	9.7%	25.26	0.37
10	Maine	35.90%	35.03%	3.3%	38.29	0.35
11	Missouri	45.10%	63.86%	0.5%	32.15	0.35
12	Tennessee	47.00%	69.12%	2.1%	21.76	0.34
13	Wyoming	36.00%	53.59%	3.8%	30.50	0.33
14	New Jersey	29.10%	43.10%	9.9%	18.19	0.33
15	Arizona	43.00%	69.29%	3.7%	18.59	0.33
16	Indiana	49.40%	62.53%	0.8%	22.39	0.33
17	North Carolina	41.30%	75.51%	2.0%	26.31	0.33
18	Kansas	43.10%	69.68%	0.2%	31.44	0.33
19	Oregon	37.80%	62.54%	0.5%	38.22	0.33
20	Delaware	42.20%	58.46%	2.2%	26.23	0.32
21	West Virginia	49.60%	40.49%	1.5%	22.04	0.32
22	Kentucky	46.50%	53.05%	0.6%	27.02	0.32
23	Mississippi	51.00%	45.39%	1.8%	17.67	0.32
24	Arkansas	51.60%	58.20%	0.5%	19.31	0.31
25	South Carolina	45.30%	68.98%	0.6%	23.88	0.31
26	Oklahoma	47.70%	58.57%	0.2%	23.75	0.30
27	Minnesota	35.50%	67.69%	0.8%	35.31	0.30
28	Michigan	41.90%	49.31%	2.7%	22.75	0.30
29	Alabama	46.90%	65.52%	0.2%	22.13	0.29
30	Colorado	27.10%	78.44%	1.3%	39.58	0.28
31	Virginia	35.60%	71.18%	1.5%	28.80	0.28
32	Iowa	36.30%	48.53%	0.2%	36.15	0.27
33	Texas	43.40%	73.46%	1.1%	18.65	0.27
34	Utah	36.20%	62.97%	4.2%	17.40	0.26
35	Pennsylvania	38.90%	49.77%	1.2%	24.51	0.25
36	Ohio	37.90%	57.90%	0.7%	24.12	0.23
37	Nevada	36.80%	64.90%	1.2%	21.08	0.22
38	Wisconsin	33.60%	50.88%	0.4%	29.37	0.21
39	Georgia	36.70%	71.10%	0.3%	21.51	0.21
40	New Mexico	39.40%	62.59%	0.9%	16.36	0.20
41	Idaho	33.30%	54.65%	1.0%	24.60	0.20
42	South Dakota	32.10%	69.45%	0.5%	25.78	0.20
43	Maryland	30.20%	69.04%	2.2%	19.97	0.19
44	Illinois	32.40%	51.02%	1.3%	23.09	0.18
45	Louisiana	38.30%	48.39%	0.2%	19.32	0.18
46	Rhode Island	25.80%	32.73%	1.2%	27.65	0.13
47	Connecticut	24.00%	38.29%	1.2%	24.01	0.10
48	New York	27.00%	45.32%	1.3%	16.00	0.08

 

Methodology

 

Beginning with a list of all 50 US states, we gathered data for the following factors before normalising each factor and assigning equal weighting to each factor to reach an overall composite score.

 

Proportion of dog owners: The proportion of dog owners in each state in 2025, taken from PawlicyAdvisor. 

 

Proportion of rental properties allowing dogs: The total number of rental properties in each state, divided by the number of rental properties that allow large and small dogs according to Zillow.  

 

Proportion of state and national parks: The total area of State Parks in acres in each state, taken from World Population Review added to the total area of National Parks in each state taken from Mental Floss and converted to square miles using UnitConverters. This was then divided by the total land area in square miles of each state according to the United States Census Bureau. 

 

Veterinarians per 100,000 people: The total number of veterinarians employed in each state, taken from The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics per 100,000 of the state population.  

 

State population statistics were taken from World Population Review.

 

All data is correct as of 08/10/2025