Scottsdale Named Most Dog-Friendly City, New York Most Expensive

As our view about dogs have shifted over the years, — dogs are viewed more as a member of the family, rather that just a pet — so too has our responsibilities as owners.

Indeed, more than 90 percent of people think of their dog as part of the family, and with that, they are spending a lot more on their pooch. No longer are owners just investing the minimum in their four-legged friends — food, water and shelter. Rather, as the dog is now considered more of a “fur baby, people are forking over more money (think: grooming, insurance and toys), while communities are becoming more welcoming of dogs. So, when it comes to the best place to raise a dog, you want a pet-friendly city that is also affordable.

This week, WalletHub, a website that provides free credit scores and reports, published data ranking the 100 largest U.S. cities in terms of pet-friendliness. The company looked at 21 metrics, including veterinary care costs, pet businesses per capita and dog parks per capita.

Scottsdale, Arizona ranked no. 1. It came in first for “pet health and wellness,” which looks at things like veterinarians in the area, dog-friendly businesses and animal shelters, and came in second for “outdoor pet-friendliness,” a metric that measures dog-friendly outdoor activities in the city. Newark, New Jersey came in last based on its high cost to own a pet and limited outdoor space, among other things.

While New York City came in 97th overall, only beating out Newark, Honolulu and Baltimore, it did rank no. 1 for most expensive city to raise a pet. According to the data, it has the highest dog insurance premiums on the market and also vet visits are expensive. The least expensive was Oklahoma City.

Here is the complete ranking:

Overall Rank*	City	Total Score	‘Pet Budget’ Rank	‘Pet Health & Wellness’ Rank	‘Outdoor Pet-Friendliness’ Rank
1	Scottsdale, AZ	65.93	80	1	2
2	Phoenix, AZ	63.54	12	6	10
3	Tampa, FL	61.48	10	9	19
4	San Diego, CA	60.56	85	2	6
5	Orlando, FL	59.81	27	4	47
6	Birmingham, AL	59.37	3	21	50
7	Austin, TX	58.26	43	3	54
8	Cincinnati, OH	57.19	13	27	28
9	Atlanta, GA	56.73	24	5	75
10	Las Vegas, NV	56.73	63	15	9
11	Oklahoma City, OK	56.13	1	33	77
12	Plano, TX	56.09	58	8	27
13	St. Petersburg, FL	55.91	21	34	23
14	Colorado Springs, CO	55.51	56	19	21
15	Sacramento, CA	54.95	66	20	18
16	Tucson, AZ	54.47	16	31	42
17	St. Louis, MO	54.37	18	36	36
18	Gilbert, AZ	54.22	41	11	65
19	San Antonio, TX	53.74	8	38	64
20	Miami, FL	53.65	33	12	72
21	Seattle, WA	53.28	88	14	17
22	Denver, CO	53.25	77	7	53
23	Albuquerque, NM	53.04	14	86	13
24	Bakersfield, CA	52.80	22	57	32
25	Henderson, NV	52.80	34	77	5
26	Portland, OR	52.78	94	10	7
27	Los Angeles, CA	52.65	96	13	4
28	North Las Vegas, NV	52.52	31	66	22
29	Columbus, OH	52.26	4	64	57
30	Tulsa, OK	51.36	15	42	74
31	San Francisco, CA	50.97	99	16	1
32	Fremont, CA	50.90	82	45	12
33	Glendale, AZ	50.87	53	26	56
34	Omaha, NE	50.47	17	54	66
35	Dallas, TX	50.44	84	18	41
36	Fort Worth, TX	50.43	50	28	69
37	Long Beach, CA	50.41	86	43	11
38	Irvine, CA	50.31	97	29	3
39	Houston, TX	50.03	52	25	71
40	Chicago, IL	49.97	83	17	52
41	Greensboro, NC	49.91	5	48	73
42	Chandler, AZ	49.83	64	24	63
43	Corpus Christi, TX	49.78	9	72	85
44	Arlington, TX	49.76	38	52	59
45	Garland, TX	49.26	47	51	60
46	St. Paul, MN	49.05	40	75	35
47	Pittsburgh, PA	48.97	45	82	26
48	San Jose, CA	48.94	44	70	25
49	Lexington-Fayette, KY	48.93	32	41	93
50	Raleigh, NC	48.92	42	30	84
51	Boise, ID	48.75	49	78	31
52	Nashville, TN	48.59	70	23	79
53	Indianapolis, IN	48.31	20	35	96
54	Mesa, AZ	48.30	69	37	70
55	Chesapeake, VA	48.28	72	67	24
56	Jacksonville, FL	48.21	55	32	86
57	Madison, WI	48.11	67	73	30
58	Memphis, TN	47.97	25	40	98
59	Kansas City, MO	47.71	19	80	62
60	Minneapolis, MN	47.65	74	55	44
61	Virginia Beach, VA	47.65	57	47	83
62	Riverside, CA	47.61	75	63	29
63	Stockton, CA	47.49	39	87	38
64	Fresno, CA	47.46	28	69	48
65	Lincoln, NE	47.44	23	81	61
66	Anaheim, CA	47.40	93	22	39
67	Chula Vista, CA	47.23	81	56	40
68	Oakland, CA	46.85	89	53	33
69	Irving, TX	46.57	47	60	89
70	Winston-Salem, NC	46.51	30	71	91
71	Durham, NC	46.26	29	65	90
72	Aurora, CO	46.25	62	49	82
73	Wichita, KS	46.02	36	50	99
74	New Orleans, LA	45.96	68	74	51
75	Hialeah, FL	45.62	71	61	68
76	Toledo, OH	45.55	6	91	58
77	Louisville, KY	45.47	35	58	94
78	Fort Wayne, IN	45.45	2	83	100
79	El Paso, TX	45.28	37	94	43
80	Washington, DC	45.20	95	59	16
81	Baton Rouge, LA	45.12	51	44	95
82	Lubbock, TX	45.04	26	89	87
83	San Bernardino, CA	44.77	61	93	15
84	Laredo, TX	44.66	6	95	67
85	Cleveland, OH	44.56	46	79	78
86	Reno, NV	43.99	79	68	76
87	Jersey City, NJ	43.73	92	85	14
88	Detroit, MI	43.44	54	84	80
89	Norfolk, VA	43.43	72	88	46
90	Milwaukee, WI	43.20	11	97	81
91	Charlotte, NC	42.86	78	46	97
92	Anchorage, AK	42.21	87	96	20
93	Philadelphia, PA	41.58	90	90	37
94	Buffalo, NY	41.36	60	92	88
95	Santa Ana, CA	41.34	91	76	55
96	Boston, MA	41.29	59	98	45
97	New York, NY	41.29	100	62	8
98	Honolulu, HI	39.69	76	100	34
99	Baltimore, MD	39.40	65	99	49
100	Newark, NJ	38.89	98	39	92