Apartment communities with pet-friendly policies have an advantage, with nearly 6 in 10 renters, 58%, having a pet today, up from 46% in 2019. According to a new analysis of more than 11 million rental listings on Zillow last year, pet-friendly rentals typically are leased eight days faster.
“Allowing pets can be a strategic edge for landlords competing to fill units,” said Emily McDonald, Zillow rental trends expert. “Today’s renters are more established and more likely to have a pet, and we clearly see that pet-friendly rentals attract more interest on Zillow. In a market where renters have more options, allowing pets can make the difference in finding a tenant quickly.”
In 2024, over half of the listings on Zillow Rentals, 57%, allowed pets. Those listings on average saw 9% more views, 12% more saves, and 11% more shares than those that did not allow pets.
Texas’ Austin (80%), Dallas (79%), and San Antonio (78%) led all major metro areas in the share of pet-friendly rental listings on Zillow last year. Denver and Nashville, Tennessee, rounded out the top 5 metros with 77% of pet-friendly rental listings. Metros with the smallest share of pet-friendly listings included Houston, at just 38%, followed by Providence, Rhode Island, and Hartford, Connecticut, at 43%, and San Jose, California, at 44%.
According to Zillow, in New York City, pet-friendly rentals typically rented 26 days faster than units that did not accept pets. Tampa, Florida, pet-friendly rentals typically rented 16 days faster, followed by Columbus, Ohio, at 12 days and Phoenix at 11 days.
