Seattle, Chicago and Denver are this year's top cities for dog lovers, according to a new ranking from Redfin, the tech-powered real estate brokerage, and Rover, the largest network of five-star pet sitters and dog walkers in the country.
Rover ran the numbers on over 14,000 cities across the country, compiling a list with the highest counts of walks, dog walkers and sitters, along with total hours, minutes and distance per walk by each dog walker or sitter on Rover. Rover also uncovered the most popular breed in each area.
Redfin then coupled Rover's insights with data on homes for sale to take a closer look at what life as a dog is like in each city. Redfin analyzed how often the keyword 'dog' appeared in the online listing descriptions of homes for sale, often to note that a property was dog-friendly or close to dog parks. The company also included each dog-friendly city's Walk Score® to highlight how easy it is to treat your dog to his or her favorite activity.
"Dogs are part of the family, so it's important to factor in our furry friends when choosing a place to live," said Daryl Fairweather, Redfin's chief economist and a Seattle dog owner. "Highlighting dog-friendly amenities like a spacious yard or a mudroom for dirty paws in your listing can make it easier for buyers to find the home of their dog's dreams."
Here's Redfin and Rover's ranking for the most dog-friendly cities of 2019:
| City | Rover Rank | Share of For-Sale Home Listings that mention "Dog" | Walk Score | Top Dog |
| Seattle, WA | 1 | 2% | 73 | Labrador Retriever |
| Chicago, IL | 2 | 4% | 78 | Mixed Breed |
| Denver, CO | 3 | 4% | 61 | Labrador Retriever |
| Manhattan, NY | 4 | 4% | 89 | French Bulldog |
| Washington, DC | 5 | 1% | 77 | Mixed Breed |
| Portland, OR | 6 | 2% | 65 | Mixed Breed |
| Los Angeles, CA | 7 | 2% | 67 | Chihuahua |
| Brooklyn, NY | 8 | 4% | 89 | Pit Bull Mix |
| San Francisco, CA | 9 | 4% | 86 | Mixed Breed |
| San Diego, CA | 10 | 2% | 51 | Mixed Breed |
| Philadelphia, PA | 11 | 2% | 79 | Pit Bull Mix |
| Houston, TX | 12 | 2% | 49 | Mixed Breed |
| Austin, TX | 13 | 3% | 40 | Mixed Breed |
| Arlington, VA | 14 | 3% | 37 | Mixed Breed |
| Minneapolis, MN | 15 | 1% | 69 | Labrador Retriever |
| Alexandria, VA | 16 | 3% | 60 | Mixed Breed |
| Dallas, TX | 17 | 2% | 46 | Labrador Retriever |
| Atlanta, GA | 18 | 5% | 49 | Mixed Breed |
| San Jose, CA | 19 | 2% | 51 | Labrador Retriever |
| Nashville, TN | 20 | 1% | 28 | Mixed Breed |
Despite the notion that some people may wait to move to the suburbs to adopt a dog, urban cores still rank highest in dog friendliness. Cities renowned for leafy parks and outdoor activities like Seattle, Chicago and Denver claimed the top spots. And while New York City, Brooklyn and San Francisco rank highest for walkability, a seemingly significant factor when deciding to get a dog, they rank lower for overall dog friendliness, perhaps due to a higher cost of living and housing inventory of typically smaller apartments.
Rover sees the highest intake of mixed breeds and Labrador Retrievers nationwide. And ever the cosmopolitan hubs, New York City and Los Angeles stand out with Frenchies and Chihuahuas, respectively. Across the river from Manhattan, Brooklyn marches to its own beat, and prefers pit bull mixes, as does Philadelphia.
