When it comes to real estate, we already know that it’s all about location, location, location. But, a new study seems to hint that the same can be said of raising dogs. That’s because one state has been ranked the best place to raise a dog in 2025. And, you may be shocked to see which region grabbed the top spot.
That’s because the number one state on this list isn’t one that immediately comes to mind when we think of pup parents. Keep reading to find out which state is the best, and which one made the bottom of the list.
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According to the study shared by Anidjar and Levine, the best state in the country to raise a dog is Alaska. The Last Frontier made the list thanks to ranking high in the five categories the study’s creators measured when determining the best location, which included dog ownership and commitment, dog-friendly spaces, air quality and climate, pet care employment and salary, and pet services and infrastructure.
Based on these items, Alaska franked 56.59 out of 100. Not surprisingly, the vastly undeveloped state ranked very high in dog-friendly spaces, nabbing a 78.62 in that category alone.
Coming in at a very close second and third are Washington state and Vermont, respectively. Washington earned a 56.54, which was just .05 behind first place. Vermont came in with 54.08, getting really high marks in pet services and infrastructure, which ranked 76.21.
As for the state that ranked lowest, that title goes to Mississippi. The Magnolia State ranked 50th on the list, coming in at 24.48 out of 100. It looks like one of the areas that specifically hurt this southern state was a lack of dog-friendly spaces, which Anidjar and Levine said ranked just 7.10 out of 100.
But, no matter where you live, raising a dog can be a rewarding experience. So, if you don’t live in one of the top spots, you can take comfort in knowing that you can still have a very rewarding experience raising your dog, you just may need to work a little harder to find some of the amenities that make other states so great.
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