The Best Cities for Dog Lovers in 2023

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on LawnStarter.

Where can you live your best life with your BFF (Best Furry Friend)?

LawnStarter has rounded up 2023’s Best Cities for Dog Lovers.

We compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on 28 indicators of puppy love, such as access to dog-furrendly housing and businesses, suitability of dog walking, and affordability of canine services.

See which cities lead the pack (and which cities are in the doghouse) below. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology at the end.

1. Orlando, FL

• Overall Score: 49.55
• Housing Rank: 17
• Community Rank: 43
• Care Rank: 1
• Businesses Rank: 14
• Affordability Rank: 116

2. Tampa, FL

• Overall Score: 47.08
• Housing Rank: 46
• Community Rank: 10
• Care Rank: 6
• Businesses Rank: 23
• Affordability Rank: 67

3. Alexandria, VA

• Overall Score: 46.92
• Housing Rank: 64
• Community Rank: 1
• Care Rank: 37
• Businesses Rank: 72
• Affordability Rank: 12

4. Austin, TX

• Overall Score: 46.41
• Housing Rank: 13
• Community Rank: 28
• Care Rank: 49
• Businesses Rank: 2
• Affordability Rank: 43

5. Richmond, VA

• Overall Score: 46.15
• Housing Rank: 30
• Community Rank: 4
• Care Rank: 13
• Businesses Rank: 64
• Affordability Rank: 98

6. San Diego, CA

• Overall Score: 45.79
• Housing Rank: 80
• Community Rank: 14
• Care Rank: 23
• Businesses Rank: 4
• Affordability Rank: 27

7. Atlanta, GA (tie)

• Overall Score: 45.62
• Housing Rank: 10
• Community Rank: 34
• Care Rank: 17
• Businesses Rank: 16
• Affordability Rank: 37

7. Scottsdale, AZ (tie)

• Overall Score: 45.62
• Housing Rank: 61
• Community Rank: 5
• Care Rank: 18
• Businesses Rank: 9
• Affordability Rank: 157

9. Knoxville, TN

• Overall Score: 44.09
• Housing Rank: 9
• Community Rank: 16
• Care Rank: 7
• Businesses Rank: 62
• Affordability Rank: 188

10. Miami, FL

• Overall Score: 44.04
• Housing Rank: 103
• Community Rank: 45
• Care Rank: 3
• Businesses Rank: 13
• Affordability Rank: 158

11. Fort Lauderdale, FL

• Overall Score: 43.64
• Housing Rank: 49
• Community Rank: 26
• Care Rank: 9
• Businesses Rank: 29
• Affordability Rank: 72

12. Las Vegas, NV

• Overall Score: 43.28
• Housing Rank: 187
• Community Rank: 17
• Care Rank: 2
• Businesses Rank: 25
• Affordability Rank: 118

13. Portland, OR

• Overall Score: 42.26
• Housing Rank: 131
• Community Rank: 8
• Care Rank: 20
• Businesses Rank: 20
• Affordability Rank: 100

14. Tucson, AZ

• Overall Score: 41.85
• Housing Rank: 48
• Community Rank: 18
• Care Rank: 10
• Businesses Rank: 21
• Affordability Rank: 193

15. Fort Collins, CO

• Overall Score: 41.82
• Housing Rank: 102
• Community Rank: 25
• Care Rank: 5
• Businesses Rank: 70
• Affordability Rank: 75

Behind the Ranking

First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Best Cities for Dog Lovers. We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into five categories: Housing, Community, Care, Businesses, and Affordability. The factors are listed below.

For each of the 200 biggest U.S. cities, we then gathered data on each factor.

Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Best” (No. 1).

• Average Single-Family Home Square Footage
• Share of Dog-Friendly Rental Properties
• Average Yard Square Footage
• Dog Walking-Friendliness
• Dog Parks per 100,000 Residents
• Average Visitor Rating for Dog Parks
• Top-Rated Dog Parks per 100,000 Residents
• Dog Events per 100,000 Residents
• Dog Meetups per 100,000 Residents
• Animal Shelters per 100,000 Residents
• Friendliness of Dog Laws
• Pet Stores per 100,000 Residents
• Veterinarians per 100,000 Residents
• Number of Emergency Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals
• Number of Animal Hospitals
• Pet Trainers per 100,000 Residents
• Dog Sitters per 100,000 Residents
• Pet Groomers per 100,000 Residents
• Dog Boarding Options per 100,000 Residents
• Number of Kennels
• Number of Dog-Friendly Accommodations
• Number of Dog-Friendly Restaurants
• Number of Dog-Friendly Shopping Centers
• Number of Pet Transportation Services
• Average State Dog Insurance Premium (as % of Average Household Income)
• Average Per-Visit Dog Sitter Rate (as % of Average Household Income)
• Average Hourly Pet Groomer Rate (as % of Average Household Income)
• Average Hourly Dog Trainer Rate (as % of Average Household Income)