U.S. households most frequently own dogs, followed by cats and freshwater fish.

PetHouseholds
Bird5.7
Cat42.7
Dog63.4
Horse1.6
Freshwater fish11.5
Saltwater fish1.6
Reptile4.5
Small animal5.4

(Insurance Information Institute, Inc.)

Over 50% of U.S. households is estimated to own a dog (63.4 million):

63.4 million U.S. households own a dog (2019-2020 survey).

60.2 million (2017-2018)

54.4 million (2015-2016)

56.7 million (2013-2014)

46.3 million (2011-2012)

(Insurance Information Institute, Inc.)

(American Pet Products Association)

An estimated 89.7 million dogs are owned in the U.S.:

89.7 million dogs are owned in the U.S. (2017-2018 survey)

77.8 million (2015-2016)

83.3 million (2013-2014)

78.2 million (2011-2012)

(Insurance Information Institute, Inc.)

 Number of pets in U.S.:

PetNumber
Freshwater fish139.3
Cat94.2
Dog89.7
Bird20.3
Saltwater fish18.8
Small animal14
Reptile9.4
Horse7.6

(Insurance Information Institute, Inc.)

 Dog ownership by state:

 Number of Households (1,000s)Percent of Households Who Owned DogsNumber of Dog-Owning Households (1,000s)Average Number of Dogs per HouseholdDog Population (1,000s)
United States125,81938.40%48,2551.676,811
New England59670.27416321.42278
Connecticut14300.243441.4466
Maine6060.3592181.5324
Massachusetts27140.2897831.41096
New Hampshire5020.2371191.4165
Rhode Island4500.2581161.4167
Vermont2650.283751.396
Middle Atlantic163790.30950671.46885
New Jersey34140.2919921.31253
New York78490.2721161.42858
Pennsylvania51160.38919901.42827
East North Central189500.37871591.611189
Illinois51380.3115901.42230
Indiana26700.49413191.62142
Michigan40710.41917051.62763
Ohio46820.37917731.72973
Wisconsin23890.3368021.41141
West North Central85050.40534481.65495
Iowa12980.3634721.8834
Kansas11360.4314901.6770
Minnesota22340.3557931.41102
Missouri24170.45110901.61798
Nebraska7360.4713471.8634
North Dakota3280.4431451.5213
South Dakota3560.3211141.3149
South Atlantic253250.38798051.615741
Delaware3990.4221681.8310
District of Columbia3210.22572172
Florida82600.39832851.55073
Georgia39990.36714661.82573
Maryland22610.3026831.4963
North Carolina40220.41316631.62742
South Carolina20020.4539071.61423
Virginia33060.35611781.71946
West Virginia7550.4963741.7637
East South Central77470.47436691.92133
Alabama19840.4699311.9513
Kentucky18740.4658421.9545
Mississippi11530.515882.1276
Tennessee27360.4712861.7799
West South Central147500.43964791.711193
Arkansas12110.5166251.81103
Louisiana18470.3837071.61100
Oklahoma15870.4777571.81397
Texas101050.43443831.77570
Mountain91000.4339161.72914
Arizona26240.4311291.8907
Colorado22210.47210481.6671
Idaho6480.5833781.7173
Montana4350.5192262.1112
Nevada11220.3684121.6428
New Mexico7960.3943142193
Utah10140.3623671.6365
Wyoming2400.36861.765
Pacific183610.39973291.611403
California139110.40155761.68690
Oregon16060.3786081.6997
Washington28440.42812171.51846

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

 Cat ownership by state:

 Number of Households (1,000s)Percent of Households Who Owned CatsNumber of Cat-Owning Households (1,000s)Average Number of Cats per HouseholdCat Population (1,000s)
United States125,81925.40%31,8961.858,385
New England5,96726.90%1,6031.72,713
Connecticut1,43026.70%3821.9739
Maine60643.60%2641.9500
Massachusetts2,71423.50%6381.61,012
New Hampshire50236.40%1831.5266
Rhode Island45016.70%752151
Vermont26544.60%1181.3150
Middle Atlantic16,37922.90%3,7561.86,857
New Jersey3,41418.90%6471.61,009
New York7,84921.10%1,6581.72,841
Pennsylvania5,11628.90%1,4762.13,084
East North Central18,95029.30%5,5591.86,148
Illinois5,13821.00%1,0811.71,666
Indiana2,67037.50%1,0001.9856
Michigan4,07131.20%1,2711.71,235
Ohio4,68230.70%1,4381.91,590
Wisconsin2,38932.40%7741.9801
West North Central8,50529.50%2,50524,939
Iowa1,29835.60%4622912
Kansas1,13632.40%3682.1785
Minnesota2,23426.50%5631.91,108
Missouri2,41728.60%6921.91,319
Nebraska73630.90%2272.3520
North Dakota32824.80%812.8230
South Dakota35626.60%951.4133
South Atlantic25,32523.80%6,0331.811,079
Delaware39924.10%961.8169
District of Columbia32116.40%53153
Florida8,26024.20%2,0021.83,584
Georgia3,99920.40%8142.11,710
Maryland2,26118.60%4211.7703
North Carolina4,02226.50%1,0641.81,916
South Carolina2,00225.20%5041.6809
Virginia3,30623.90%7901.91,491
West Virginia75537.70%2842.1595
East South Central7,74729.90%2,3151.94,435
Alabama1,98426.10%5181.7859
Kentucky1,87432.20%6041.81,065
Mississippi1,15329.10%3362661
Tennessee2,73630.90%8452.21,819
West South Central14,75022.30%3,2941.96,343
Arkansas1,21134.80%4212.1876
Louisiana1,84719.00%3521.7590
Oklahoma1,58728.40%4501.8795
Texas10,10520.50%2,07124,066
Mountain9,10026.10%2,3731.82,914
Arizona2,62426.40%6922907
Colorado2,22127.10%6021.6671
Idaho64833.30%2162173
Montana43522.80%991.8112
Nevada1,12223.10%2591.7428
New Mexico79625.20%2001.8193
Utah1,01424.70%2511.9365
Wyoming24030.00%721.865
Pacific18,36124.30%4,4641.77,758
California13,91122.90%3,1901.75,571
Oregon1,60630.00%4811.6790
Washington2,84430.50%8671.81,527

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

Cat ownership has remained stable over time, horse and bird ownership has dropped, and speciality or exotic pets has increased. More than 13% of households have been reported to include fish, ferrets, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, other rodents, turtles, snakes, lizards, other reptiles, poultry and other livestock as pets, and amphibians.

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

The number of poultry owned as pets has climbed 23% over five years.  1.1% households on poultry with a total population of 15.4 million, an average of 11 poultry per household.

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

“Interestingly, dogs may have a leg up in “crossover” pet ownership as well: half (49%) of cat owners also say they have a dog, while only a third (34%) of dog owners also have a cat.”

(The Harris Poll)

“The majority of dog owners have just one pooch in the house (61%), and the average number of dogs in these households is 1.6. Cat owners are somewhat less likely to limit their home to just one kitty (53%), and the average number of cats under those roofs is 2.0.”

NumberDog(s)Cat(s)Bird(s)*FishOther
16153532547
22729231319
37811912
4349137
5223106
6 or more1353110
MEAN1.622.87.52.9

(The Harris Poll)

Ages of Dogs Owned December 31, 2016:

 <1 Year Old1–56–1011–1516 or Older
Percent0%43.00%0%13%0%
Number (1,000s) 7,5963,50725,7469,7821,180

 Ages of Cats Owned December 31, 2016:

 <1 Year Old1–56–1011–1516 or Older
Percent13.00%41%27%15%4%
Number (1,000s)7,57024,07015,9628,6812,103

 “For one thing, Millennials clearly have bought into the idea of pet ownership. Those in the 18- to 34-year-old age group already have the highest likelihood of owning a pet, while 43% of those in this key demographic cohort who do not have a pet now say they want one in the future.”

(GlobeNewswire)

(Research and Markets)

“Aging Boomers offer another, perhaps unexpected, bright spot for the American pet industry. A decade ago, just 34% of adults in the 70-and-over age group owned pets. In 2015 and 2016, when the leading edge of the Boomer generation began to turn 70, this percentage jumped to around 40%. If this incipient trend continues, the overall rate of pet ownership likely will increase in coming years.”

(GlobeNewswire)

(Research and Markets)

“They’ve long been referred to as man’s best friend, and now new research from Mintel reveals that no one loves their mutt quite as much as American men. Today, some seven in 10 (71%) younger men aged 18-44 own a dog compared to just three in five (60%) of their female counterparts.”

(Mintel Press Office)

“The findings vary, however, for different pet species. Latino/ Hispanic households reported the highest rates of dog ownership (44.6%) and pet bird ownership (4.2%). White households showed the highest rate of cat ownership (31.8%), while the highest rate of pet horse ownership was among Native Americans/Asian/Pacific Islanders/Aleutians/Eskimos.”

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

“Pet ownership differs among racial and ethnic groups. The highest rate of pet ownership overall in 2016 was seen among White households (64.7%), with Latino/Hispanic (61.4%) households next. The lowest rate was found among Black/ African-American households (36.9%).”

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

“Household income was only slightly higher among pet-owning households compared to all households. Half (50%) of pet-owning households reported incomes of $55,000 or greater. Across all households, slightly less than half (48%) made more than $55,000. A higher share of horse owners (56%) and dog owners (52%) had incomes of more than $55,000, while a smaller share of cat (47%) and bird owners (41%) had incomes above $55,000.”

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

Pet ownership is highest in mobile home households (73.8%) and houses (65.8%). Apartments, condos, duplexes and other multiple-family residences have a lower rate of pet ownership. 

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

“In 2016 homeowners were more likely to own a pet than were renters.”

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

“Although religious tradition and biblical literalism generally do not predict pet ownership, frequent worship attendees and the most conservative evangelicals report owning fewer pets.”

(ResearchGate)

“Religious characteristics also predict Americans’ ownership of particular pets. Most notably, we find a strong, negative association between worship attendance and cat ownership.”

(ResearchGate)

“Americans with kids in the household are more likely to have at least one pet than those without (73% vs. 57%) – and kids in those households may themselves be more likely to be the pet owners of the future, as Americans who had a pet when they were growing up are more likely than those who didn’t to have one now (66% vs. 41%).”

(The Harris Poll)

Republicans have been shown to be more likely to have a pet than Democrats or Independents.

Political Party%
Republicans68
Democrats59
Independents60

(The Harris Poll)

The basic annual expenses for dog owners was $1,381 on average. The highest cost on average was for surgical vet visits. Food, routine vet visits, and kennel boarding closely accounted for the next highest costs.

Basic Annual Expenses for dogs per year (2019-2020 survey)

Expense2019-20202017-20182015-20162013-2014
Surgical vet$426$474$551$621
Routine visit$212$257$235$231
Food$259$235$269$239
Food treats$76$72$61$65
Kennel boarding$229$322$333$327
Vitamins$58$58$62$64
Groomer/grooming aids$73$84$83$61
Toys$48

 

 

$47$47$41

(Insurance Information Institute, Inc.)

The basic annual expenses for cat owners was $908 on average. The highest cost on average was for food.

Basic Annual Expenses for dogs per year (2019-2020 survey)

 2019-20202017-20182015-20162013-20142011-2012
Surgical vet214245398382425
Routine visit160182196193219
Food228235246203220
Food treats5856513641
Kennel boarding120164130337166
Vitamins5446337743
Travel expenses N/AN/AN/AN/A48
Groomer/grooming aids4330432034
Toys3130282321

(American Veterinary Medical Association)

U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures were expected to be $99.0 billion in 2020

U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures 2010-2019 (2019-2020 survey)

YearExpenditure (billions)
2010$48.35
201150.96
201253.33
201355.72
201458.04
201560.28
201666.75
201769.51
201872.56
2019 (Estimated)75.38

(Insurance Information Institute, Inc.)

Updated techniques:

YearExpenditure (billions)
2018$90.5
2019$95.7
2020 (estimated)$99.0

(American Pet Products Association, Inc.)

45% of American pet owners spend the same or more on the healthcare needs of their pets than they do on themselves.

(LendEDU)

11% of American pet owners have put off having kids or more children because of pet expenses and 8% have delayed getting married.

(LendEDU)

“The average US pet owner spent roughly $160 on pet care compared to around $93 in Britain, $65 in Germany, $45 in Japan, and less than $8 in China.”

(Fortunly)

(American Pet Products Association, Inc.)

“We also broke our results down by gender, and it seems that American women tend towards frugality when it comes to their pets. On average, women spend $116.61 every month on their animals, while men spend $136.99—$20 more.”

(OppU)

“Here’s a breakdown of all the data by animal:

Birds: $113.89/month

Cats: $92.98/month

Dogs: $139.80/month

Fish: $62.53/month

Mice or Rats: $80/month

Rabbits: $65/month

Reptiles or Turtles: $116.63/month

Small mammals: $251.82/month

Other: $351.67/month”

(OppU)

Spending by age group:

14-17: $73/month

18-24: $173.67/month

25-34: $141.50/month

35-44: $107.85/month

45-54: $102.99/month

55 and up: $80.43/month

(OppU)

“At an average of $311.90 per month, it seems Delaware pet owners are dropping the most dough on their pets. When it comes to the state spending the least, head west to Idaho, where thrifty animal lovers keep their pet costs down to just $20 per month.”

(OppU)