Community NewsPets

Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia Among Top 20 Dog Loving Cities

14,000 Cities Considered and Ranked

Families with dogs line the streets of Old Town for seasonal parades. (Photo: Mary Wadland/The Zebra Press)

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Alexandria and Arlington rank in the top twenty in the nation for dog lovers, according to a new ranking from Redfin, the tech-powered real estate brokerage, and Rover, the largest network of five-star pet sitters and dog walkers in the country.

Rover ran the numbers on over 14,000 cities across the country, compiling a list with the highest counts of walks, dog walkers and sitters, along with total hours, minutes and distance per walk by each dog walker or sitter on Rover. Because each top city needs a top dog, Rover also uncovered the most popular breed in each area.

Alexandria loves their dogs so much they declared a whole day for it, Alexandria LOVE YOUR PET DAY. The annual block party happens April 28, 2019 this year on Colvin Street between Quaker and Duke near Oldd Town. (Photo: Shelley Castle Photography)

It was only two years ago that the Alexandria, Virginia Mayor and City Council declared the first Alexandria Love Your Pet Day, but you’d think this annual block party had been going on for decades.  Imagine a few blocks sectioned off for just families, dogs and incredible vendors and entertainment, along with free parking, and you have your dream pet-loving celebration.

This year it is all happening again Sunday, April 28 from 11 am to 3 pm at Roth and Colvin Streets (right off of Duke) with over 45 vendors, food trucks, and nonprofits hoping to break last year’s record 600 attendees.

Redfin coupled Rover’s insights with data on homes for sale to take a closer look at what life as a dog is like in each city. Redfin analyzed how often the keyword ‘dog’ appeared in the online listing descriptions of homes for sale, often to note that a property was dog-friendly or close to dog parks. The company also included each dog-friendly city’s Walk Score® to highlight how easy it is to treat your dog to his or her favorite activity.

“Dogs are part of the family, so it’s important to factor in our furry friends when choosing a place to live,” said Daryl Fairweather, Redfin’s chief economist and a Seattle dog owner. “Highlighting dog-friendly amenities like a spacious yard or a mudroom for dirty paws in your listing can make it easier for buyers to find the home of their dog’s dreams.”

Here’s Redfin and Rover’s definitive ranking for the most dog-friendly cities of 2019:

City Rover Rank Share of Homes for Sale that mention “Dog” Walk Score Top Dog
Seattle, WA 1 2% 73 Labrador Retriever
Chicago, IL 2 4% 78 Mixed Breed
Denver, CO 3 4% 61 Labrador Retriever
Manhattan, NY 4 4% 89 French Bulldog
Washington, DC 5 1% 77 Mixed Breed
Portland, OR 6 2% 65 Mixed Breed
Los Angeles, CA 7 2% 67 Chihuahua
Brooklyn, NY 8 4% 89 Pit Bull Mix
San Francisco, CA 9 4% 86 Mixed Breed
San Diego, CA 10 2% 51 Mixed Breed
Philadelphia, PA 11 2% 79 Pit Bull Mix
Houston, TX 12 2% 49 Mixed Breed
Austin, TX 13 3% 40 Mixed Breed
Arlington, VA 14 3% 37 Mixed Breed
Minneapolis, MN 15 1% 69 Labrador Retriever
Alexandria, VA 16 3% 60 Mixed Breed
Dallas, TX 17 2% 46 Labrador Retriever
Atlanta, GA 18 5% 49 Mixed Breed
San Jose, CA 19 2% 51 Labrador Retriever
Nashville, TN 20 1% 28 Mixed Breed

Mary Wadland

Mary Wadland is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of The Zebra Press, founded by her in 2010. Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, Mary is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Hollins College in Roanoke, VA and has lived and worked in the Alexandria publishing community since 1987.

Related Articles

Back to top button