Pet Ownership Statistics 2023
Whether you’re thinking of getting a pet for the first time in 2023 or currently have one or more, these are the most vital statistics to know.
🔸 Around 70% of American households reported that they owned at least one pet.
🔸 It’s estimated that 90.5 million families in the United States own a pet.
🔸 Dogs are the most common pet in the U.S, with nearly 70 million households having one
🔸 With 72% of all families keeping pets, Wyoming has the highest pet ownership rate
🔸 Millennials have the highest percentage (32%) of pet ownership in the United States
🔸 Pet food is the highest-selling pet market product category with 50 billion spent in 2021
What Percentage of US Households
Own a Pet?
Furry pets are quite popular in American households. Pet ownership rates fluctuate slightly every few years, but the trend of owning pets continues to steadily increase. 57% of U. S households had at least one pet in 2018. This has increased to 70% in 2021, an increase of 13% in just three years!
To put this into perspective, around 90.5 million families, own a pet. The average US pet owner has 2.6 furry friends in their home! So, whether it’s a dog, cat, or other animal – there’s no denying that the bond between humans and animals has only grown stronger over the last few decades.
Source: Insurance Information Institute
The number of U.S households by type of pet
The most recent pet ownership & demographic data revealed that dogs are the most common pet in the U.S, with nearly 70 million households having at least one dog. Cats come in second place with 45 million families owning at least one, followed by freshwater fish and birds.
Americans are also fond of the following pets:
- Reptiles
- Horses
- Saltwater fish
- Small animals
Fun fact: Labrador Retrievers are the most popular breed in the U.S
The US States with the Most Pet Owners
Most states include plenty of pet parents, but there are some differences in pet ownership depending on where you look.
While California has the largest number of pet owners of any state, a different scenario emerges when looking at per-capita pet ownership.
With 72% of all families keeping pets, Wyoming has the highest pet ownership rate. West Virginia, Idaho, and Nebraska are all close behind.
Pet Ownership Demographics
People’s affection for their animal pals has no limits. One generation in particular stands out. With 32 percent of pet ownership, Millennials are at the top of the list. Baby Boomers follow closely after with 27%, while Generation X accounts for 24% of all pet owners.
Men were actually slightly more likely than women to own a pet in the United States.
Women
It’s also clear that women as well love their pets making up 49% of those that own a pet.
Millennials have the highest percentage (32%) of pet ownership in the United States.
How Much Do Americans Spend On Pets?
Pet parents in the US spend an enormous amount of money on their furry family members. Whether it is a dog, cat, bird, or even a lion, these beloved family members don’t come cheap.
Americans spend so much that the overall pet expenditure increased by $7 billion between 2018 and 2019, with a record-breaking high of 123.6 billion spent on pets in 2021.
The increase in pet industry expenditure over time goes hand in hand with the increase in pet-ownership rates in the United States. As mentioned previously, around 70% of U.S households have at least one pet, up from 56% in 1988.
Source: Insurance Information Institute
Basic Annual Expenses for Dogs
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Food & Treats
The Pet food category was the most popular product category with $50 billion of revenue in 2021.
Live animals & OTC Medicine
Supplies, live animals and OTC medicine made up $29.8 billion.
Vet Care
The vet care ranked second, with sales amounting to around $34.3 billion in 2021.
Other Services
Other services related to pet spending amounted to $9.5 billion in 2021
Pet food is the highest selling pet market product category
In tandem with the increasing number of pet owners, more and more people are getting informed on the best products for their pets.
Pet food was the most popular pet product category in 2021 and is expected to remain so in the years to come. Pet food sales reached over $50 billion in 2021
