Pet Ownership Statistics

Pet Ownership Statistics USA

Published: June 10, 2026 Last updated: August 24, 2026 PetNurture Editorial Team

Pet Ownership Statistics USA

Pet Ownership Statistics Published Updated

Pet ownership in the United States keeps climbing. An estimated seven in ten American households now share their home with at least one animal, and the mix of species, spending habits, and owner demographics keeps shifting year over year.

The figures below come directly from the two most widely cited annual surveys on U.S. pet ownership: the American Pet Products Association's (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey and State of the Industry reports, and the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook. Because these two organizations use different survey methodologies and sample sizes, their topline numbers don't always match exactly — where that happens, both figures are shown side by side with their source clearly labeled rather than blended into a single number.

Key Statistics

71%
US Households Owning a Pet

An estimated 94 million U.S. households owned at least one pet in 2024–2025.

89.7M
Pet Dogs Nationwide

The U.S. pet dog population reached a record high in 2024, per AVMA.

45.5%
Dog-Owning Households

59.8 million U.S. households owned at least one dog in 2024 (AVMA).

49M
Cat-Owning Households (APPA)

Up from 40 million in 2023 — a 23% two-year increase (APPA 2025 Dog & Cat Report).

158B USD
US Pet Industry Spending

Total 2025 U.S. pet industry expenditures, up 3.7% from 2024 (APPA).

1,515USD
Avg. Household Pet Spending

Average annual spend per pet-owning household in 2024, excluding adoption/purchase fees (AVMA).

Statistics Summary

Statistic Value
US Households Owning a Pet
An estimated 94 million U.S. households owned at least one pet in 2024–2025. 		71%
Pet Dogs Nationwide
The U.S. pet dog population reached a record high in 2024, per AVMA. 		89.7M
Dog-Owning Households
59.8 million U.S. households owned at least one dog in 2024 (AVMA). 		45.5%
Cat-Owning Households (APPA)
Up from 40 million in 2023 — a 23% two-year increase (APPA 2025 Dog & Cat Report). 		49M
US Pet Industry Spending
Total 2025 U.S. pet industry expenditures, up 3.7% from 2024 (APPA). 		158B USD
Avg. Household Pet Spending
Average annual spend per pet-owning household in 2024, excluding adoption/purchase fees (AVMA). 		1,515USD

How Many Americans Own Pets?

According to APPA's most recent National Pet Owners Survey data, roughly 94 million U.S. households — about 71% of all households — owned at least one pet in 2024–2025.

For species-specific ownership data, see our breakdowns for cat ownership statistics, guinea pig ownership statistics, and rabbit ownership statistics.

For a breakdown by metro area and household type, see our pet ownership statistics by city page.

Detailed Statistics

Statistic Value Description Source
US pet dog population 89.7M Record high pet dog population in the United States as of 2024. AVMA Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook
May 1, 2025
Dog-owning households 59.8M 45.5% of all U.S. households owned at least one dog in 2024. AVMA Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook
May 1, 2025
Cat-owning households (AVMA) 42.1M 32.1% of all U.S. households owned at least one cat in 2024. AVMA Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook
May 1, 2025
Combined pet cat & dog population 163.5M A 45% increase from 1996, when the combined population was 112.6 million. AVMA Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook
May 1, 2025
Households owning any pet (APPA) 94M Approximately 71% of U.S. households owned at least one pet in 2024–2025. American Pet Products Association
Mar 1, 2026
Cat-owning households (APPA) 49M Up from 40 million in 2023, a 23% increase. APPA 2025 Dog & Cat Report
Jan 1, 2025
Dogs owned nationally (APPA) 68M Up from 65.1 million in the prior year’s survey. APPA 2025 Dog & Cat Report
Jan 1, 2025
US pet industry spending (2025) 158B USD Total annual pet industry expenditures, up 3.7% year over year. APPA State of the Industry
Mar 1, 2026
Average household pet spending (2024) 1,515USD Excludes adoption or purchase fees; veterinary care made up about one-third of the total. AVMA
Jan 1, 2025
Freshwater fish population 139M Most numerous pet by individual count; owning households have declined 5% since 2016. APPA 2024 Fish and Reptile Owner Insight Report
Jan 1, 2024
Pet bird population 20.6M Across 6.1 million households; small-bird ownership rose from 45% (2018) to 63% (2024) of bird owners. APPA 2024 Bird, Small Animal & Horse Owner Insight Report
Jan 1, 2024
Pet ownership rate, $100K+ households 75% Highest ownership rate of any income bracket measured. American Pet Products Association
Jan 1, 2025
Millennial share of pet owners 33% The largest generational segment of U.S. pet owners. American Pet Products Association
Jan 1, 2025

Sources

  1. APPA, "The American Pet Products Association (APPA) Releases 2025 Dog & Cat Report"

    American Pet Products Association — 2025 Dog & Cat Report (2025) — Household pet ownership rates and dog/cat species breakdown

  2. APPA, "U.S. Pet Industry Reaches $158 Billion in 2025"

    American Pet Products Association — State of the Industry (2025) — Annual pet industry spending figures
  3. APPA 2024 Fish and Reptile Owner Insight Report (2024) — Fish and reptile population and ownership data
  4. APPA 2024 Bird, Small Animal & Horse Owner Insight Report (2024) — Bird ownership population and household data

  5. AVMA, "Pet population continues to increase while pet spending declines"

    AVMA Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook (2024) — Dog and cat population and household ownership figures
  6. AVMA — Evolving Pet Owner Economics (2025) — Average household pet spending figures

The Big Picture

Two long-running, independently conducted surveys tell a consistent overall story even though their exact numbers differ: pet ownership in the U.S. is high, dogs remain the most-owned pet by most measures, cat ownership is catching up faster than at any point in recent years, and total industry spending keeps growing even as household budgets shift.

Frequently Asked Questions

About 71% of U.S. households — an estimated 94 million homes — owned at least one pet in 2024–2025, according to the American Pet Products Association's National Pet Owners Survey.

Dogs lead by most measures: AVMA's 2024 data put the pet dog population at 89.7 million across 59.8 million households, versus 42.1 million cat-owning households. However, APPA's separately measured data shows cat-owning households growing much faster (up 23% between 2023 and 2025), narrowing the historical gap.

The total U.S. pet industry reached $158 billion in 2025, up from $152 billion in 2024 (APPA). At the household level, AVMA found average annual spending of $1,515 per pet-owning household in 2024, not including adoption or purchase costs.

Dogs are the most commonly owned type of pet by number of owning households. By raw population count, however, freshwater fish are the most numerous pets, with an estimated 139 million in American homes.

Millennials make up the largest share of U.S. pet owners at 33%, according to APPA's most recent survey data.

APPA and AVMA run separate, independently conducted surveys with different sample sizes, survey years, and methodologies, so their topline figures don’t always align exactly. This page presents both organizations’ numbers side by side rather than blending them into a single estimate.

Data Disclaimer

Information on this page is compiled from publicly available reports, surveys, and industry publications. PetNurture does not conduct original research and cannot guarantee the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of third-party data. Users should verify statistics directly with the original source before making decisions based on this information.

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PetNurture Editorial Team

Our research team curates pet statistics from publicly available reports, surveys, and industry publications. All data is reviewed for accuracy and source integrity before publication.