It’s safe to say dogs are among the most beloved animals on the planet. We fight over who gets to keep them, we take comfort in them when we face disappointments large and small, and when we move our dogs often drive our living decisions. Ask anybody hunting for an apartment.
Still, even by those dog-centric standards, the most dog-friendly city is a bit unexpected. Smart Asset ran the numbers on dog-friendliness, looking at dog parks, walkability, home values, the dog-friendliness of shops, and the overall precipitation, which as anybody who’s walked a dog in the rain can tell you, is probably the most important factor. And once all that was done, the king was… Tucson?
According to our research, there are 246 dog-friendly restaurants and four dog-friendly shopping centers. So, if you’re going out for lunch or running errands, odds are you’ll be able to bring your beloved pet with you. Finally, Tucson is the most affordable city in our top 10, so living here means you can afford to splurge on treats for Fido.
While we feel like frigid temperatures would be a bit of a downside for dogs, the fact that the top three all get shockingly hot in the summer doesn’t feel like a huge win for our shaggy friends, either. It turns out that expensive cities are also fairly dog-friendly: New York, Chicago, and San Francisco all made the list. Also of interest is that dog-friendliness seems to increase the further west you go, possibly thanks to the fact that there’s simply more space out West.
If you’re thinking of a new city and your pooch is a factor, it’s worth looking at the list. Just keep in mind the rents:
1) Tucson, AZ
2) Albuquerque, NM
3) Las Vegas, NV
4) San Francisco, CA
5) San Diego, CA
6) Chicago, IL
7) Denver, CO
8) New York, NY
9) Minneapolis, MN
10) Sacramento, CA
(via Smart Asset)
