Pet Insurance by State
Pet owners in the United States are adding more four-legged family members to their households than ever before, and the adoption of pet insurance by these pet owners is growing rapidly as well. According to new data by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), nearly 57 percent of all U.S. households owned a pet by the end of 2016. However, some states are more apt to own pets than others, with Wyoming taking a surprising number one spot and Rhode Island coming in last.
Typically, pet ownership is lower in urban states and higher in rural states, but pet insurance adoption doesn’t necessarily follow that trend. In fact, pet owners in urban areas tend to get pet insurance more often than their rural neighbors, even though the cost can be quite a bit higher each month.
Here are the 10 states with the highest percentage of pet owners:
- Wyoming (72%)
- West Virginia (71%)
- Nebraska (70%)
- Vermont (70%)
- Idaho (70%)
- Indiana (69%)
- Arkansas (69%)
- Mississippi (65%)
- Oklahoma (65%)
- Colorado (65%)
Here are the 10 states with the lowest percentage of pet owners:
- Rhode Island (45%)
- South Dakota (46%)
- New York (50%)
- New Jersey (47%)
- Maryland (49%)
- Illinois (49%)
- Massachusetts (49%)
- Connecticut (50%)
- Georgia (51%)
- New Hampshire (52%)
In terms of pet insurance, millennials are found to be the largest buying segment of pet insurance, which makes sense since they tend to live in more urban areas, are waiting longer to have children, and have time and disposable income to devote to pets. According to Superior Access, the typical pet insurance buyer lives in an urban setting, where medical care and pet services are more expensive.
The data proves this to be true, as we did sample quotes across a few top pet insurance providers (Healthy Paws, Pets Best and Figo) to see what monthly premiums would be in various states. For each state, we broke down the cost by city by choosing one zip code per city and doing a sample quote through their quote engine. For a control, we used a three-year-old male dog, mixed breed and medium size.
Here is a look at all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and the average monthly premium for five cities in each location. Remember that these quotes are to give you a ballpark idea, and there are a lot of variables that go into generating a quote, including pet breed, age, size, zip code and other factors like what type of policy you choose and what add-ons you select. We chose the middle-of-the-road policy with no add-ons for the sake of this exercise.
Location |
Monthly Cost |
Alabama |
|
Birmingham | 26.71 |
Mobile | 29.67 |
Montgomery | 32.41 |
Gulf Shores | 29.67 |
Huntsville | 32.64 |
Alaska |
|
Anchorage | 35.07 |
Juneau | 41.84 |
Fairbanks | 38.58 |
Cordova | 41.84 |
Fort Yukon | 31.56 |
Arizona |
|
Phoenix | 35.54 |
Mesa | 45.84 |
Tucson | 31.81 |
Flagstaff | 31.81 |
Yuma | 36.7 |
Arkansas |
|
Rogers | 35.38 |
Bentonville | 29.67 |
Little Rock | 29.67 |
Fayetteville | 29.67 |
Lewisville | 26.71 |
California |
|
Los Angeles | 46.04 |
San Diego | 57.5 |
San Francisco | 47.54 |
Redding | 39.28 |
Sacramento | 33.49 |
Colorado |
|
Denver | 38.49 |
Colorado Springs | 29.06 |
Durango | 32.28 |
Estes Park | 32.28 |
Aspen | 38.49 |
Connecticut |
|
Hartford | 42.43 |
New Haven | 36.73 |
Bridgeport | 39.19 |
Danbury | 42.43 |
Cheshire | 41.05 |
Delaware |
|
Middletown | 29.35 |
New Castle | 29.35 |
Dover | 30.95 |
Newark | 31.95 |
Wilmington | 31.95 |
Florida |
|
Miami | 29.75 |
Tallahassee | 17.89 |
Orlando | 19.07 |
Fort Lauderdale | 44.94 |
Sarasota | 20.32 |
Georgia |
|
Atlanta | 43.68 |
Cambridge | 36.63 |
Augusta | 32.97 |
Macon | 36.73 |
Norcross | 40.29 |
Hawaii |
|
Honolulu | 33.22 |
Pearl City | 33.22 |
Mililani | 33.22 |
Kaneohe | 33.22 |
Ewa Gentry | 33.22 |
Idaho |
|
Boise | 33.9 |
Twin Falls | 38.49 |
Blackfoot | 38.49 |
Idaho City | 37.89 |
Nampa | 30.35 |
Illinois |
|
Chicago | 46.02 |
Peoria | 37.44 |
Gurnee | 38.04 |
Aurora | 36.84 |
Rockford | 36.28 |
Indiana |
|
Indianapolis | 48.12 |
Terre Haute | 34.74 |
South Bend | 41.43 |
Lafayette | 34.48 |
Fort Wayne | 34.74 |
Iowa |
|
Des Moines | 30.52 |
Waterloo | 30.52 |
Cedar Rapids | 31.49 |
Iowa City | 33.22 |
Ames | 33.22 |
Kansas |
|
Topeka | 32.6 |
Kansas City | 34.2 |
New Cambria | 35.32 |
Wichita | 35.48 |
Bonner Springs | 35.48 |
Kentucky |
|
Louisville | 38.88 |
Lexington | 39.15 |
Bowling Green | 32.03 |
La Grange | 35.59 |
Glasgow | 32.03 |
Louisiana |
|
New Orleans | 38.86 |
Morgan City | 43.18 |
Hammond | 43.18 |
Lafayette | 51.51 |
Youngsville | 47.5 |
Maine |
|
Portland | 31.21 |
Augusta | 38.14 |
Bangor | 34.67 |
Camden | 34.67 |
Westbrook | 28.12 |
Maryland |
|
Baltimore | 35.68 |
Annapolis | 42.78 |
Rockville | 34.67 |
Frederick | 38.63 |
Beltsville | 38.63 |
Massachusetts |
|
Boston | 43.39 |
Cambridge | 36.73 |
Plymouth | 39.19 |
Salem | 36.73 |
Northampton | 39.43 |
Michigan |
|
Detroit | 27.53 |
Lansing | 28.43 |
Grand Rapids | 29 |
Flint | 43.37 |
Kalamazoo | 40.61 |
Minnesota |
|
Minneapolis | 44.03 |
Duluth | 58.39 |
Winona | 44.03 |
Shakopee | 53.82 |
Anoka | 48.92 |
Mississippi |
|
Jackson | 35.59 |
Biloxi | 32.03 |
Brandon | 39.15 |
Hattiesburg | 35.32 |
Southaven | 42.44 |
Missouri |
|
St. Louis | 32.15 |
Kansas City | 29.16 |
Springfield | 32.4 |
Jefferson City | 32.4 |
St. Peters | 30.99 |
Montana |
|
Billings | 29.33 |
Helena | 32.59 |
Butte | 29.33 |
Three Forks | 28.06 |
West Glacier | 31.18 |
Nebraska |
|
Omaha | 40.58 |
Lincoln | 37.45 |
Bellevue | 34.04 |
Burwell | 30.64 |
South Sioux City | 30.64 |
Nevada |
|
Ely | 32.92 |
Virginia City | 32.92 |
Las Vegas | 36.03 |
Reno | 36.03 |
Laughlin | 36.03 |
New Hampshire |
|
Manchester | 40.06 |
Nashua | 43.73 |
Concord | 40.32 |
Derry | 36.65 |
Dover | 40.32 |
New Jersey |
|
Newark | 41.37 |
Jersey City | 44.33 |
Atlantic City | 35.22 |
Princeton | 44.33 |
Trenton | 41.37 |
New Mexico |
|
Albuquerque | 40.35 |
Santa Fe | 40.61 |
Farmington | 36.91 |
South Valley | 33.22 |
Las Cruces | 33.22 |
New York |
|
Manhattan | 65.79 |
Brooklyn | 57.04 |
Albany | 39.29 |
Buffalo | 43.54 |
Syracuse | 45.67 |
North Carolina |
|
Wilmington | 32.4 |
Raleigh | 32.95 |
Winston-Salem | 32.95 |
Charlotte | 34.01 |
Greensboro | 34.01 |
North Dakota |
|
Fargo | 26.71 |
Bismarck | 29.67 |
Hettinger | 26.71 |
Grand Forks | 29.67 |
Minot | 28.39 |
Ohio |
|
Columbus | 46.62 |
Cleveland | 43.78 |
Cincinnati | 37.76 |
Toledo | 48.16 |
Dayton | 41.05 |
Oklahoma |
|
Oklahoma City | 26.71 |
Tulsa | 32.64 |
Muskogee | 29.67 |
Broken Bow | 25.55 |
Bethany | 25.55 |
Oregon |
|
Portland | 37.28 |
Eugene | 24 |
Bend | 24 |
Medford | 19.52 |
Salem | 19.52 |
Pennsylvania |
|
Philadelphia | 39.85 |
Pittsburgh | 33.32 |
New Hope | 46.28 |
Hershey | 33.43 |
Villanova | 46.28 |
Rhode Island |
|
Providence | 35.07 |
Newport | 38.58 |
Pawtucket | 41.84 |
Jamestown | 40 |
Weekapaug | 33.53 |
South Carolina |
|
Greenville | 28.63 |
Columbia | 28.63 |
Rock Hill | 28.63 |
Charleston | 36.92 |
Myrtle Beach | 36.92 |
South Dakota |
|
Sioux Falls | 32.64 |
Pierre | 29.67 |
Rapid City | 26.71 |
Hot Springs | 25.55 |
Wounded Knee | 26.71 |
Tennessee |
|
Nashville | 40.15 |
Chattanooga | 36.78 |
Bartlett | 43.83 |
Jonesborough | 36.78 |
Memphis | 38.41 |
Texas |
|
Austin | 33.12 |
Dallas | 28.71 |
El Paso | 27.39 |
Houston | 32.11 |
San Antonio | 26.95 |
Utah |
|
Salt Lake City | 45.2 |
Ogden | 32.72 |
Park City | 53.52 |
Provo | 32.72 |
Logan | 32.72 |
Vermont |
|
Burlington | 34.83 |
Montpelier | 38.58 |
New Haven | 35.07 |
Ludlow | 33.53 |
Hartland | 35.07 |
Virginia |
|
Norfolk | 26.51 |
Roanoke | 29.46 |
Virginia Beach | 32.4 |
Richmond | 40.76 |
Portsmouth | 40.76 |
Washington |
|
Seattle | 41.21 |
Bellevue | 36.84 |
Tacoma | 38.66 |
Spokane | 38.04 |
Ellensburg | 35.14 |
West Virginia |
|
Charleston | 32.59 |
Morgantown | 32.59 |
Huntington | 29.33 |
Fairmont | 28.06 |
Kearneysville | 31.18 |
Wisconsin |
|
Madison | 47.18 |
Milwaukee | 46.83 |
Phillips | 38.6 |
Eau Claire | 42.89 |
Appleton | 46.83 |
Wyoming |
|
Cheyenne | 35.07 |
Casper | 35.07 |
Laramie | 41.84 |
Gillette | 36.89 |
Buford | 38.58 |
DC |
|
Adams Morgan | 51.06 |
Dupont Circle | 48.82 |
Chevy Chase | 38.99 |
Edgewood | 51.06 |
Capitol Hill | 39.54 |
As you can see, the larger cities definitely face a higher premium, with Manhattan topping the list at a whopping $65.79 per month, all the way down to Tallahassee, Florida, our lowest premium, at $17.59 per month.
New York and Minnesota were the costliest states for pet insurance premiums, with some outliers in California and D.C
Manhattan | $65.79 |
Duluth | $58.39 |
San Diego | $57.50 |
Brooklyn | $57.04 |
Shakopee | $53.82 |
Park City | $53.52 |
Lafayette | $51.51 |
Adams Morgan | $51.06 |
Edgewood | $51.06 |
Anoka | $48.92 |
The least expensive areas for pet insurance are Oregon and Florida, with cities in the bottom ten in both states.
Broken Bow | $25.55 |
Bethany | $25.55 |
Hot Springs | $25.55 |
Eugene | $24.00 |
Bend | $24.00 |
Sarasota | $20.32 |
Medford | $19.52 |
Salem | $19.52 |
Orlando | $19.07 |
Tallahassee | $17.89 |
In terms of pet insurance policy buying, California tops every state by far, with 362,727policies ($), followed by New York (179,133), Florida (116,855), New Jersey (104,884), Texas (93,529), according to data from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. State of the Industry Report 2018.
Each state is different and buying a pet insurance policy is an easy way to gain peace of mind, protect your savings, and make sure you don’t have to choose between your pet and finances. While pet insurance doesn’t cover everything, it typically covers enough to help out in case of emergency accident or illness. Click on each state to see more specifics on coverage.