These U.S. Cities Are Best for Renters with Pets (2024 Data)

Introduction

Renting with a furry friend can be challenging, but recent data shows it’s getting easier in many U.S. cities. A new Zillow analysis of 11 million rental listings nationwide found that 57% of rentals allowed pets in 2024. This growing pet-friendliness is likely a response to renter demand: nearly 6 in 10 renters now have a pet, up from 46% before the pandemic.

Landlords and property managers are taking note – and those who welcome pets are reaping benefits. Pet-friendly units not only attract more interest online, they also tend to rent out faster than those that ban animals. Below, we dive into which cities are winning (or lagging) in pet-friendly housing, and why these trends matter for animal shelters and pet advocates.

Pet-Friendly Rentals Are In High Demand

Americans love their pets like family, and that love is reshaping the rental market. According to Zillow’s data, 58% of renters have pets as of 2024. Nearly half of renters have even passed on a listing because it wasn’t pet-friendly.

It’s no surprise, then, that “pets allowed” has become the number-one most-used filter on Zillow’s rental search platform. Renters are actively seeking out homes where their cats or dogs are welcome.

Landlords who accommodate pets gain a competitive edge. On average, pet-friendly listings receive 9% more views and 12% more saves on Zillow than listings that prohibit pets. This extra attention translates to quicker leases: overall, pet-friendly rentals were occupied about 8 days faster than comparable rentals with no-pet policies.

The effect is especially striking in certain cities. In New York City, pet-friendly units rented 26 days faster on average than non-pet units. In Tampa, the difference was 16 days, and in Columbus about 12 days. Clearly, saying “yes” to pets isn’t just goodwill – it’s smart business.

Which Cities Lead (and Lag) in Pet-Friendly Housing

Pet policies vary widely by city. Zillow’s analysis ranked major U.S. metro areas by the share of rental listings that allow pets, with Texas dominating the top spots.

• Austin, TX – 80% pet-friendly rentals
• Dallas, TX – 79%
• San Antonio, TX – 78%

By contrast, Houston, TX landed at the very bottom with only 38% of rentals allowing pets. Other metro areas with low availability include Providence, RI (43%), Hartford, CT (43%), and San Jose, CA (44%).

In between, many cities fall closer to the national average. Nashville (77%), Denver (77%), Kansas City (76%), and Raleigh (72%) all scored high, while New York City (53%) and Los Angeles (52%) lagged slightly below average. Chicago landed at 60%.

The contrasts are stark: in Austin, four out of five rentals welcome pets, while in Houston it’s barely one in three.

Pet-Friendly Rentals Lease Faster (Data Backs It Up)

From a landlord’s perspective, the business case is clear. Pet-friendly rentals fill vacancies faster, draw more online attention, and broaden the tenant pool.

On average nationwide, these units rented 8 days faster. In highly competitive markets like New York, the difference was more than three weeks. In Tampa, it was more than two weeks. Even in markets where the effect was smaller (like Chicago) or slightly reversed (Salt Lake City, Hartford), landlords weren’t penalized by allowing pets.

Why the advantage? Pet owners represent a large and growing renter segment, and many won’t even consider no-pet listings. Pet-friendly buildings also benefit from word-of-mouth and can sometimes charge modestly higher rents or pet fees, which renters are often willing to pay.

Why Pet-Friendly Housing Matters for Animal Shelters

Housing policies don’t just affect renters and landlords – they impact animal shelters too. One of the leading reasons pets are surrendered to shelters is housing problems. When renters can’t find a pet-friendly home, many are forced into heartbreaking choices.

In 2024, about 29% of shelter intakes were owner surrenders, and housing restrictions were a major driver. The ASPCA explicitly cites “lack of access to pet-friendly housing” as a barrier that separates families from their pets.

More pet-friendly rentals mean fewer surrenders and more adoptions. Renters who know they can find pet-friendly housing are more likely to adopt, while those with pets are less likely to give them up during a move.

That said, housing is just one factor among many influencing shelter intake. For example, Texas – highly pet-friendly in its rental markets – still has above-average shelter intake rates due to other issues like stray populations. Still, at an individual level, no-pet policies directly lead to preventable surrenders every year.

This is why animal welfare groups now frame housing as a humane issue. Advocacy efforts are growing to encourage landlords to allow pets, educate tenants on responsible ownership, and even pass laws limiting unreasonable restrictions. The goal is to keep families intact – pets included.

Conclusion

Pet-friendly housing is more than a trend. For landlords, it shortens vacancy times and boosts interest. For renters, it makes life with pets more stable. And for shelters, it helps keep animals out of cages and in homes.

The latest data show a clear divide: cities like Austin and Dallas are models of what’s possible, while others like Houston highlight the challenges ahead. As more landlords and policymakers recognize the connection between housing and animal welfare, we may move toward a future where “no pets allowed” is the exception rather than the rule.

That’s a win for renters, landlords, and – most importantly – the pets who get to stay with their families.

Sources

• Zillow rental analysis (2024) – stocktitan.net
• CBS News housing trends – cbsnews.com
• Shelter Animals Count Annual Report (2024) – shelteranimalscount.org
• ASPCA shelter statistics & advocacy – aspca.org
• Ground News housing trends – ground.news
• Pocatello Property Management & GuruFocus (rental economics) – pocatello-propertymanagement.com; gurufocus.com