Tucson Named Most Dog-Friendly City In The U.S.

TUCSON, AZ — Tucson was named the most dog-friendly city in the nation by a new study. Factors that went into the rankings included dog parks, dog-friendly restaurants and shopping centers, and number of pet stores.

SmartAsset compiled the list of the 25 most dog-friendly cities in the U.S. The study analyzed data for 100 of the largest cities across six metrics: dog parks per 100,000 residents, dog-friendly restaurants, dog-friendly shopping centers, median home value, walk score and number of pet stores and veterinary offices.

The American Pet Products Association reported that Americans spent $95.7 billion on their pets in 2019, approximately $37 billion of which went toward pet food and treats.

Tucson came in on top thanks to its 251 dog-friendly restaurants and high concentration of dog parks and veterinary offices. There are 86 for every 10,000 establishments, according to SmartAsset. The city also earned kudos for its low precipitation and median home value.

Las Vegas came in at the number two spot and tied with Madison, Wis. Albuquerque and Portland, Ore. rounded out the top five.

Western states did well in the study overall, with six West Coast cities included in the top 11. Phoenix (15th), Scottsdale (21st) and Glendale (tied for 24th) also made the list.