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Zillow names Austin the top pet-friendly city for renters looking to move

Z | March 6, 2023

These 10 areas offer the highest share of pet-friendly units in the country

Texas cities claimed the top three spots on the most pet-friendly list for renters.
More than half of rental listings on Zillow indicate they allow pets, and twice as many renters filter for pet-friendly listings than for any other amenity on the Zillow website.
Zillow's new Moving with Pets page lets pet parents enter their address to find local pet-friendly amenities.

SEATTLE, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The most pet-friendly city in the country for renters is Austin, Texas, with more than 4 out of every 5 rental listings allowing pets. What's more, cities in Texas claimed the top three spots, and four of the top six.

According to Zillow's latest Consumer Home Trends Report, 59% of renters in 2022 reported having at least one pet, up from 46% in 2019.

"As more people started working from home, pet ownership soared during the pandemic," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. "Pets are widely considered part of the American family, so it makes sense that they factor into moving decisions and impact housing preferences. Renters with pets who are planning to sign a new lease this year face even stiffer competition because they are limited to apartments where their furry friends are allowed. This data shows us that in certain cities, pet-friendly apartments are easier to find."

Pet-friendly filters are some of the most used among renters on Zillow.com. Twice as many potential renters filter for pet-friendly listings than for any other amenity on the site, underscoring the high demand for rental homes that allow pets.

As of January, more than half (55.1%) of rental listings on Zillow indicated they allow pets. The company analyzed thousands of its single-family and apartment rental listings to find the cities with the most available units that allow renters to live with their animal companion.

Of the top 100 cities with the most rental listings on Zillow, Austin has the most pet-friendly rental housing stock in the country, with 80.8% of listings allowing pets.

Top 10 pet-friendly cities for renters, according to Zillow

Austin, Texas – 80.8% of rental listings allow pets
Dallas, Texas – 78.0%
Fort Worth, Texas – 77.2%
Charlotte, North Carolina – 76.6%
Denver, Colorado – 76.5%
San Antonio, Texas – 75.8%
Indianapolis, Indiana – 74.7%
Kansas City, Missouri – 73.4%
Seattle, Washington – 73.1%
New York City – 72.2%

Moving can cause anxiety for pets and their owners. With the right resources, movers with pets can feel more at ease during this sometimes stressful and confusing time. Beyond using Zillow's search filters to ensure they're seeing properties that welcome their pets, pet parents can turn to Zillow's new Moving with Pets page, which lets them enter an address to explore pet-friendly spots, including veterinarian clinics, groomers and parks, in hundreds of neighborhoods around the country.

Zillow's Renter Hub keeps renters organized during their search. At a glance, renters can see the rentals they've saved, shared or contacted and stay up-to-date on all messages with prospective landlords — all in one place on the Zillow app. And once renters with pets find their perfect place, the Moving with Pets page has a checklist for pet-related moving tasks as well as recommendations for important pet-moving products, such as carriers and GPS collars.

About Zillow Group

Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make it easier to unlock life's next chapter. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow® and its affiliates offer customers an on-demand experience for selling, buying, renting, or financing with transparency and ease.

Zillow Group's affiliates, brands and subsidiaries include Zillow®; Zillow Premier Agent®; Zillow Home Loans™; Zillow Closing Services™; Trulia®; Out East®; StreetEasy®; HotPads®; and ShowingTime+℠ , which houses ShowingTime®, Bridge Interactive®, and dotloop® and interactive floor plans. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).