NYC renters with pets get slapped with over $800 in mandatory fees — but this neighboring city pays even more
Owning a furry friend in New York City can come with a hefty price tag.
In 2024, U.S. households are expected to spend a staggering $152 billion on pets, with 94 million homes boasting at least one companion animal. A recent RentCafe study ranked the most pet-friendly cities for renters, taking into account both the availability of pet-friendly apartments and the cost of keeping pets. While New York City is home to pampered cats and doted-on French bulldogs, their companionship doesn’t come cheap.
The Big Apple ranks seventh in the Northeast for pet-friendly rental options, but the cost of securing a pet-friendly apartment is steep. On average, NYC renters pay $822.92 in pet deposits and fees—nearly $300 above the national average. Only Jersey City rivals New York’s high prices, with fees averaging $900.
Pets in New York City enjoy the perks of parades, gourmet dog biscuit bakeries, and immaculate parks. Monthly pet rent averages $64.42, almost the same amount many commuters pay for a monthly subway pass. Across the U.S., tenants spend around $35 per month on pet rent, with refundable deposits averaging just over $300 and nonrefundable fees averaging $315.
Despite the high costs, New York offers plenty of options for renters with pets. Roughly 75% of the city’s apartments are pet-friendly, close to the regional average of 80%. Southern and Midwestern metros are particularly welcoming, with about 83% of rentals allowing pets. Oklahoma leads the nation, with more than 92% of apartments open to pets, followed closely by Nevada (92.16%) and Arkansas (91.23%).
On the city level, Oak Park, Illinois, stands out as a pet lover’s haven. The town earned the highest pet-friendly score in the study, with a 95.51% share of welcoming apartments and modest fees averaging $250. Fargo, North Dakota, and Decatur, Georgia, rounded out the top three.
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