All dogs go to Antioch

Zillow, Rover survey reveals growing dog-friendly cities

Top dog-friendly cities
(iStock)

It’s no barking matter: Dog-friendliness is now a thing in real estate.

An analysis from Zillow and Rover determined that Antioch, Tennessee is the nation’s fastest-growing dog-friendly city. The analysis looked at registered dog-owner accounts on Rover and page views for pet-friendly single-family rentals on Zillow.

Antioch had the biggest surge of accounts at Rover, a pet-sitter and walker site, from June 2021 to March 2022. One big draw is Antioch Park, where page views on pet-friendly rental listings jumped 62.2 percent in March from a year earlier.

The Mid-Atlantic region chowed down on the next two spots. Baltimore, Maryland, ranked second, while Alexandria, Virginia, 50 miles away, held the third spot. Baltimore had a 99.3 percent increase in page views, while Alexandria views jumped 70.1 percent.

Coming in fourth was Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, where views increased by 11.4 percent from 2021. The kibble must also be exceptional in Kansas City, Kansas, which rounded out the top five. As of March, the typical rent in the city was $1,300, making it a somewhat affordable option for pet owners.

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Rounding out the top ten were Cumming, Georgia; Bellevue, Washington; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Palo Alto, California; and Charleston, South Carolina.

People increasingly turned to pet ownership during the pandemic, seeking companionship to get through lockdowns. More renters own at least one pet compared to 2020. According to Zillow, 61 percent of recent homeowners and 57 percent of renters own pets.

Taking care of those pets is a priority for many. A survey of dog owners for Rover found 72 percent found it important to live in a dog-friendly city, while 61 percent attribute the inspiration to move to their dog’s happiness and wellbeing.

“The cities with more homes that have pet-friendly features like fenced yards, dog doors and close proximity to a dog park are going to be popular with pet parents right now,” Rover trends expert Kate Jaffe told the New York Times.

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