Charlotte is America's most pet-friendly rental market

• According to Zillow's ranking of the most pet-friendly rental markets, Charlotte narrowly tops Zillow’s ranking of the most pet-friendly rental markets, with 91.6% of rental listings on Zillow allowing pets. Providence and New York trail the pack, having the smallest shares of pet-friendly listings among major markets.
• Nationwide, 77% of rental listings on Zillow allow pets.
• 59% of renter households have a pet — more than those that have a child — and 65% call pet-friendliness "essential" when choosing a rental.

More than three-quarters of rental listings on Zillow across the country now allow pets — but Charlotte stands apart. New Zillow data covering the 50 largest U.S. metros shows that while pet-friendly rentals are now the norm nationwide, the share varies depending on where a renter is looking. In Charlotte, 91.6% of listings on Zillow welcome pets. In Providence, just 54% do, fewest of any major metro. 

1. Charlotte, NC — 91.6% of listings on Zillow allow pets
2. Austin, TX — 91.5%
3. Denver, CO — 90.8%
4. Dallas, TX — 90.6%
5. Nashville, TN — 90.4%
6. Raleigh, NC — 89.7%
7. Indianapolis, IN — 89%
8. Richmond, VA — 88.7%
9. Kansas City, MO — 88.3%
10. Columbus, OH — 88%

The most pet-friendly rental markets: Charlotte and Austin

Charlotte is top dog at 91.6%, with Austin a whisker behind at 91.5%. They're followed by Denver (91.5%), Dallas (90.6%), Nashville (90.4%) and Raleigh (89.7%). Sunbelt and Mountain West metros dominate the top of the list, where newer, larger apartment communities have made pet-friendly policies standard. Rounding out the top 10: Indianapolis (89%), Richmond (88.7%), Kansas City (88.3%) and Columbus (88%).

It's no surprise landlords are rolling out the welcome mat for pets. According to Zillow's Consumer Housing Trends Report, 59% of renter households have at least one pet — more than have a child (37%) or even a plant (46%). Forty percent have a dog and 31% have a cat. Some 65% of all renters call pet-friendliness "essential" when deciding where to rent, up from 60% in 2024, and the figure climbs to 73% among renters in single-family homes.

And once renters find a home that welcomes their pet, they tend to stay. Some 62% of tenured renters who didn't move last year say pet-friendly policies were a factor in their decision to stick around — good news for landlords and their four-legged tenants alike.

Not every metro has caught up — yet

Providence has the smallest share of pet-friendly listings among major metros at just 54%, followed by New York (61%), Buffalo (62%), Boston (63%) and Hartford (63%). Coastal California also lags — San Francisco at 64%, Los Angeles at 68%, Riverside at 69%. Zillow research from last summer found that pet-friendly rentals attract more interest from renters, earning 9% more views, 12% more saves and 11% more shares than listings that don't allow pets — and in the New York metro, they rented a full 26 days faster.

Metro on the move

More markets are coming around. Salt Lake City gained nearly eight percentage points in its pet-friendly share over the past year — the biggest jump of any major metro. Louisville (+4.6 points), Cleveland (+4.5 points), Miami (+4.4 points) and Indianapolis (+3.9 points) also made meaningful gains.