U.S. states with the most and fewest pet owners

Thursday January 17th, 2013

by DogTime Staff

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According to the U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the state of Arkansas has the highest percentage of households that own a dog and Vermont the highest that own a cat. States that own the fewest dogs and cats are also named.

The study was conducted in 2012, but is based on numbers from December 31, 2011; results are drawn from a survey of more than 50,000 households in the United States.

Top 10 pet-owning states (percentage of households that owned a pet):The 10 states with the fewest pet-owning households (percentage of households that owned a pet):
1. Vermont: 70.8%1. Rhode Island 53%
2. New Mexico: 67.6%2. Minnesota: 53%
3. South Dakota: 65.6%3. California: 52.9%
4. Oregon: 63.6%4. Maryland: 52.3%
5. Maine: 62.9%5. Illinois: 51.8%
6. Washington: 62.7%6. Nebraska: 51.3%
7. Arkansas: 62.4%7. Utah: 51.2%
8. West Virginia: 62.1%8. New Jersey: 50.7%
9. Idaho: 62%9. New York: 50.6%
10. Wyoming: 61.8%10. Massachusetts: 50.4%

Note: The District of Columbia's pet ownership rate was the lowest at 21.9 percent.

States with the most dog owners (percentage of households that owned a dog):States with the fewest dog owners (percentage of households that owned a dog):
1. Arkansas: 47.9%1. Illinois: 32.4%
2. New Mexico: 46%2. New Jersey: 32.4%
3. Kentucky: 45.9%3. Minnesota: 31.9%
4. Missouri: 45.9%4. Maryland: 30.8%
5. West Virginia: 45.8%5. New Hampshire: 30.3%
6. Mississippi: 45.2%6. Utah: 29.4%
7. Alabama: 44.1%7. Rhode Island: 29.3%
8. Tennessee: 44.1%8. New York: 29%
9. Texas: 44%9. Connecticut: 28.3%
10. Oklahoma: 43.2%10. Massachusetts: 23.6%

Note: The District of Columbia's dog ownership rate was the lowest at 13.1 percent.

States with the most cat owners (percentage of households that owned a cat):States with the fewest cat owners (percentage of households that owned a cat):
1. Vermont: 49.5%1. California: 28.3%
2. Maine: 46.4%2. South Carolina: 27.8%
3. Oregon: 40.2%3. Rhode Island: 27.6
4. South Dakota: 39.1%4. Alabama: 27.4%
5. Washington: 39%5. Florida: 27.3%
6. West Virginia: 38.1%6. Georgia: 27.3%
7. Kentucky: 36.8%7. Illinois: 26.3%
8. Idaho: 34.6%8. Louisiana: 25.9%
9. Indiana: 34.4%9. New Jersey: 25.3%
10. New Hampshire: 34.2%10. Utah: 24.6%

Note: The District of Columbia cat ownership rate was the lowest at 11.6 percent.

These statistics are but a sample of what the complete report has to offer. To order the U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook for 2012, visit the American Veterinary Medical Association website.

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