Dallas Is Named America’s No. 1 ‘Dog‑Obsessed City’ for Renters

A new analysis dug through Zillow Rentals' data on pet-friendly apartments and BARK’s data on BarkBox and Super Chewer subscribers, looking for "where renters and their pooches are most welcome in the U.S."

If you’re a dog lover looking to rent an apartment in Dallas, you’re barking up the right tree.

Zillow Rentals is out with a new study on pet-friendly apartments in partnership with BARK, the creators of BarkBox. The analysis dug through Zillow’s data on pet-friendly apartments and BARK’s data on BarkBox and Super Chewer subscribers, looking for where renters and their pooches are most welcome in the U.S.

Dallas came in No. 1, with 79% of rental listings on Zillow noting they allow pets, which the company says is “significantly higher than the national average.” According to BARK, popular dog breeds in Dallas include golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers.

Nationwide, only 55% of rental listings on Zillow are advertised as pet-friendly, the company said. “While there are many cities where dogs are living the dream, three Texas cities lead the pack for their exceptional love and accommodations for canines,” the company noted.

Two other Texas cities, Austin and San Antonio, placed No. 2 and No. 3 on the list, with 77% and 75% of rental listings allowing pets. 

Rounding out the Top 10 Dog-Obsessed Cities for Renters, from No. 4 to No 10, are Charlotte, N.C., Indianapolis, IN, Denver, CO, New York City, Phoenix, AZ, Seattle, WA, and Jacksonville, FL.

59% of renters have at least one pet—a big jump from 2019

Zillow’s study found that 59% of renters reporting they have at least one pet—with 40% having a dog in 2023. That’s a significant increase from 2019, the company noted, when only 46% of renters had a pet and 31% had a dog.

Twice as many renters filter for pet-friendly listings than for any other amenity on the Zillow website, the company added. Even in New York City—where, Zillow noted, apartments can sometimes be tight for even one human—“pets allowed” is the second-most-used rental search filter, according to the company’s NYC brand StreetEasy.

The company offers some tips on how to move with pets on the study’s web page.

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