🎁 States Most Likely to Buy Their Pet a Gift (2025)

Pets aren’t just companions — in many households, they’re fully-fledged family members. And as birthdays, holidays, and “just because” moments roll around, millions of Americans are treating their furry friends to toys, treats, custom accessories, and even full-blown celebrations.

A new 2025 nationwide study has revealed the U.S. states most (and least) likely to buy their pet a gift, analyzing everything from holiday spending to year-round gift-giving habits.

With more than 202 million pets living in American homes, this ranking highlights where owners go the extra mile to spoil their companions — and where gift-giving is less common.

🧮 How the Rankings Were Calculated

Each state was scored using seven key metrics from 2024/Dec 2024:

Average Spend on Pet(s) Per Household – total annual spend including food, toys, treats, and accessories
Dog Toys Index Score – regional popularity of dog toys based on sales and search trends
Cat Toys Index Score – popularity of cat toys
Dog Treats Index Score – purchases and searches for dog treats
Cat Treats Index Score – purchases and searches for cat treats
Dog Gift Index Score – products marketed as gifts for dogs (toys, clothing, accessories)
Cat Gift Index Score – products marketed as gifts for cats

Each factor was normalized and combined into a composite score, producing a ranking of the states most likely to buy gifts for pets.

📊 Key Findings at a Glance

✅ California tops the nation, showing both high household spend and high dog/cat gift indices.
🎄 New York and Washington follow closely, reflecting strong urban pet markets.
💰 Illinois and Pennsylvania also rank in the top five, combining solid spending and consistent gift-giving trends.
🔻 South Dakota, Montana, and Alaska are the least likely to buy gifts, with low spending and index scores.
🐾 States with high pet toy and treat indices often have stronger overall pet gifting culture.

🏆 Top 5 States Most Likely to Buy Their Pet a Gift This Christmas (2025)

Rank	State	Average Spend on Pet(s) Per Household (2024)	Dog Toys Index (Dec 2024)	Cat Toys Index (Dec 2024)	Dog Treats Index (Dec 2024)	Cat Treats Index (Dec 2024)	Dog Gift Index (Dec 2024)	Cat Gift Index (Dec 2024)	Pet Gift Likelihood Score
1	California	$3,550	57	65	81	77	100	71	7.84
2	New York	$2,820	44	54	87	68	100	97	7.46
3	Washington	$2,814	36	32	91	54	100	100	6.84
4	Pennsylvania	$2,167	45	29	98	53	100	100	6.77
5	Illinois	$1,788	49	57	61	58	100	100	6.71

Why these states lead:

California: High disposable income, dense urban pet population, and strong boutique retail presence
New York: Pet gifting is part of urban lifestyle culture, especially for dog treats and accessories
Washington: Eco-conscious and active lifestyle owners buy practical and fun gifts for pets
Pennsylvania & Illinois: Gift-giving is seasonal and holiday-driven, often centered on birthdays and Christmas

🚫 5 States Least Likely to Buy Their Pet a Gift (2025)

Rank	State	Average Spend on Pet(s) Per Household (2024)	Dog Toys Index (Dec 2024)	Cat Toys Index (Dec 2024)	Dog Treats Index (Dec 2024)	Pet Gift Likelihood Score
45	North Dakota	$3,529	11	4	0	1.28
46	Alaska	—	92	0	0	1.19
46	Mississippi	$597	17	0	74	1.19
48	Montana	$1,039	15	48	0	1.12
49	South Dakota	$1,731	9	4	0	0.52

Why these states lag:

Sparse populations and fewer specialty pet stores
Lower household spending on non-essential items
Pet gift-giving tends to focus on food and basic necessities rather than enrichment or celebration

🐾 The Expert View — Pet Nutritionist, Dana Harris

Top States:
“Pet owners in California and New York treat pets as full family members,” Harris explains. “They invest in toys, treats, and seasonal gifts. Urban areas drive this behavior, with access to specialty retailers and online stores.”

Bottom States:
“South Dakota and Montana pet owners love their pets but focus on essentials like food and vet care. Gift-giving isn’t widespread due to lower population density and limited retail options.”

Pet Gifting
"Even small gifts. a treat, a new toy, or a seasonal accessory — can enhance a pet’s well-being, enrichment, and happiness. This research shows that cultural, economic, and lifestyle factors influence which pets are likely to get spoiled, and where owners prioritize basic care over extra indulgences.

🐾 Full List of US States

Rank	State	Avg Spend (2024)	Dog Toys	Cat Toys	Dog Treats	Cat Treats	Dog Gift	Cat Gift	Score
1	California	$3,550	57	65	81	77	100	71	7.84
2	New York	$2,820	44	54	87	68	100	97	7.46
3	Washington	$2,814	36	32	91	54	100	100	6.84
4	Pennsylvania	$2,167	45	29	98	53	100	100	6.77
5	Illinois	$1,788	49	57	61	58	100	100	6.71
6	Virginia	$2,093	55	52	75	57	100	76	6.70
7	Ohio	$1,288	59	76	77	56	86	77	6.69
8	Massachusetts	$3,758	49	21	88	82	0	100	6.18
9	Texas	$1,276	43	49	82	53	85	83	6.04
10	New Jersey	$4,169	34	20	68	0	98	90	5.86
11	Arizona	$1,713	44	26	73	42	93	91	5.77
12	North Carolina	$1,535	49	27	56	52	97	87	5.71
13	South Carolina	$1,463	26	70	55	0	100	100	5.50
14	Florida	$1,907	47	53	81	82	0	72	5.46
15	Michigan	$1,186	37	53	84	80	0	81	5.14
16	Missouri	$936	51	24	95	70	100	0	5.06
17	Wisconsin	$1,239	55	27	83	47	100	0	4.80
18	Georgia	$1,577	76	0	62	63	84	0	4.53
19	Maryland	$2,753	48	26	42	0	0	98	3.99
20	Colorado	$2,902	43	29	66	68	0	0	3.93
21	Oregon	$2,491	28	25	71	88	0	0	3.79
22	Tennessee	$938	41	21	90	0	100	0	3.77
23	Maine	$3,108	19	20	52	100	0	0	3.70
24	New Mexico	$2,067	18	12	84	0	0	100	3.58
25	Nevada	$3,027	72	19	77	0	0	0	3.49
26	Minnesota	$1,681	58	45	73	0	0	0	3.10
27	New Hampshire	$4,122	18	15	81	0	0	0	2.98
28	Kentucky	$768	23	27	70	83	0	0	2.97
29	Connecticut	$3,589	22	27	73	0	0	0	2.93
30	Indiana	$1,116	21	67	88	0	0	0	2.84
31	Alabama	$619	52	24	93	0	0	0	2.50
32	Delaware	$2,548	13	82	0	0	0	0	2.28
33	Arkansas	$715	26	19	100	0	0	0	2.10
34	West Virginia	$2,024	18	8	81	0	0	0	2.02
35	Utah	$2,670	15	18	52	0	0	0	1.99
36	Idaho	$1,186	34	0	89	0	0	0	1.94
37	Iowa	$957	20	22	82	0	0	0	1.89
38	Louisiana	$762	57	19	41	0	0	0	1.81
39	Nebraska	$1,328	20	21	66	0	0	0	1.79
40	Rhode Island	$3,770	17	10	0	0	0	0	1.58
41	Kansas	$815	21	20	63	0	0	0	1.54
42	Vermont	$3,883	9	11	0	0	0	0	1.51
43	Wyoming	$1,712	10	57	0	0	0	0	1.46
44	Oklahoma	$736	24	18	48	0	0	0	1.31
45	North Dakota	$3,529	11	4	0	0	0	0	1.28
46	Alaska	—	92	0	0	0	0	0	1.19
46	Mississippi	$597	17	0	74	0	0	0	1.19
48	Montana	$1,039	15	48	0	0	0	0	1.12
49	South Dakota	$1,731	9	4	0	0	0	0	0.52
50	Hawaii	—	12	0	0	0	0	0	-0.19

December 04, 2025

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