Pets in Scottsdale, Ariz. may just be living the life. This is according to WalletHub’s recent research. The personal finance company has released its 2024 list of most pet-friendly cities, listing the desert city in the no. 1 spot, followed by Tampa, Fla., and Las Vegas, Nev. The 100 most populated cities in the U.S. were compared and ranked by the research team using three key dimensions: pet budget, pet health and wellness, and outdoor pet-friendliness. Each dimension has corresponding metrics, including veterinary care cost and accessibility, veterinarians and pet caretakers per capita, walkability score and weather, and was graded on a 100-point scale. “The most pet-friendly cities aren’t just those where it’s cheapest to own an animal and take care of its health, although cost is definitely a major consideration,” says Cassandra Happe, WalletHub analyst. “Many factors contribute to a good environment for pets, from the availability of vets and pet-friendly stores to the prevalence of parks and how walkable each city is.” According to WalletHub’s research, the top 10 most pet-friendly cities in the U.S. are as follows: Scottsdale, Ariz. Tampa, Fla, Las Vegas, Nev. Birmingham, Ala. Lexington, Ky. North Las Vegas, Nev. St. Petersburg, Fla. Cincinnati, Ohio Portland, Ore. St. Louis, Mo. For more information, visit the WalletHub website.
