Being a dog owner doesn’t come cheap, with vet bills, food, toys, and treats all likely to be regular expenses, but it’s cheaper to have a pet in some places than others.
Taking into account everything from the price of the best dog food, adjusted for the cost of living, to pet insurance premiums, consumer trends experts at online discount platform Wethrift found the most and least expensive states to be a dog parent in, and their finding makes for interesting reading – as does this list of the most expensive dog breeds!
The most expensive states are scattered across the US, from New England right over to the Pacific, but Massachusetts sits at the top. The total annual cost to have a dog in the Bay State averages out at $2,275.97, which is 35.78% above the average yearly cost in the US.
Hawaii and New York sit in second and third place respectively, with total annual costs averaging out at $2,198.30 and $2,164.24 respectively. Pet insurance alone in New York costs $1,008.84 per year on average, while food in Hawaii costs a whopping $1,185.45 per year – probably because it needs transporting from the mainland US.
Most expensive US states to be a dog owner
- Massachusets
- Hawaii
- New York
- Maryland
- Connecticut
- Arizona
- Virginia
- New Hampshire
- California
- Alaska
On the other end of the scale, however, Kansas is the least expensive state to be a dog parent in. You’ll save over $800 a year on average, with a total annual cost averaging out at $1,403.40 – this is 16.28% below the US average. Vaccines are cheapest here, too, costing an average of $201.67 each year, 9.40% below the average.
Next up are Louisiana and Oklahoma, both only slightly more expensive at $1,432.04 and $1,435.09 respectively. Pet insurance in the former costs just $550.20 a year on average, while food in Oklahoma is particularly cheap, averaging out at $569.54 each year.
By and large, the least expensive states to be a dog parent in are located in the Midwest and South.
Cheapest US states to be a dog owner
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Oklahoma
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- South Dakota
- Illinois
- Michigan
Would you like to save money as a pet parent? Whether you live in Massachusetts, Kansas, or somewhere in between, don’t miss out on these simple ways to save money. You might find this article from a fellow pet parent interesting, too: Here’s how I save money as a pet owner without compromising on care.
You might also enjoy: Which state loves dogs the most? And find out which are the most pet-friendly cities in the US?
