It can cost a lot to own a dog, but the price tag isn’t even across all states. Some states have a much higher cost of dog ownership than others. The cost of living in those states is a factor in how much it costs to own their furry friend.
There are 13 states in which it costs more than $30K to take care of a dog throughout its life. Among all states, the average cost throughout the dog’s life is $28,801, according to MarketWatch.
Methodology
To rank the most and least expensive states to own a dog, the MarketWatch Guides team considered average costs for a Labrador retriever, the most popular dog breed in the U.S., according to the American Kennel Club. They broke costs into puppy upfront figures and annual recurring ones. Note that because the cost of purchasing or adopting a dog differs widely, they did not include that as an upfront cost in their analysis.
California
California is the most expensive state in the U.S. for dog ownership. From food to pet insurance to vet visits, everything is more expensive in California. It costs about $35,452 throughout the lifetime of a dog there.
New York
New York is the second-most-expensive state for owning a dog. The notoriously high cost of living in New York, particularly in the city, pushes dog ownership to cost $34,248 during a dog’s lifetime.
Massachusetts
With another high cost of living, Massachusetts is the third-most-expensive place to own a dog. It takes $33,318 in this New England state for a pet owner to keep a dog over the years of its life.
New Jersey
Living in the Garden State can be pricey, and that’s true for raising a dog as well. As the fourth-highest cost for owning a dog, it takes about $32,947 to do it there.
Washington
Coming very close to New Jersey’s numbers, Washington state has the fifth-highest cost of dog ownership. If you own a dog there, you can expect to pay an average of $32,894 during its life.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is the least expensive state for owning a dog. The cost of everything from vet visits to various pet supplies is the cheapest here. The cost in Oklahoma is just $24,855 for dog ownership.
Mississippi
This Gulf state is the second-cheapest state to own a dog in. The Magnolia state has one of the lowest costs of living in the country. Owning a dog there costs an average of $25,104.
Indiana
As the third-least-expensive state for dog ownership, pet owners don’t have to worry much about the cost of their dogs. It costs just $25,479 there to own a dog throughout its lifetime.
Nebraska
As the fourth-cheapest place to own a dog, it costs just $25,662 to have a dog in the state that gave us Kool-Aid. The generally low cost of living makes dog services and products much more affordable than in most states.
Louisiana
The fifth-cheapest state for dog ownership is this vibrant Southern state. The cost of owning a dog in Louisiana is $25,760 on average for the lifetime of a dog.
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