Key Takeaways
- San Francisco, New York City and Jersey City ranked as the top three best cities for dog walking, according to data from Redfin and Rover.
- Eight out of the top 10 best cities for dog walking are on the East Coast.
- Goldendoodles are the most popular breed in 46 of the 107 cities analyzed.
For dog owners, choosing where to live isn’t just about finding a home with enough space for a dog bed or to play fetch. The ability to go outside and easily get some zoomies out can also make a big difference.
San Francisco is the most dog-friendly city, according to a new analysis from Redfin and Rover. New York City is a close second, followed by Jersey City.
| Redfin and Rover’s Top 10 Best Cities for Dog Walks of 2026 | ||||
| Rover Rank | Cities | Walk Score | Most Popular Breed | Top-trending Breed |
| 1. | San Francisco, CA | 88.7 | Golden Retriever | Standard Schnauzer |
| 2. | New York, NY | 88.0 | Goldendoodle | Schipperke |
| 3. | Jersey City, NJ | 86.6 | Goldendoodle | English Springer Spaniel |
| 4. | Boston, MA | 82.8 | Goldendoodle | Old English Bulldog |
| 5. | Chicago, IL | 77.2 | Goldendoodle | Toy Fox Terrier |
| 6. | Washington, DC | 76.7 | Labrador Retriever | Pomsky |
| 7. | Miami, FL | 76.6 | Goldendoodle | Coton de Tulear |
| 8. | Newark, NJ | 75.9 | Labrador Retriever | Basset Hound |
| 9. | Oakland, CA | 75.3 | Labrador Retriever | Miniature Schnauzer |
| 10. | Philadelphia, PA | 74.8 | Goldendoodle | American Foxhound |
Redfin and Rover teamed up to rank 107 cities using Redfin’s Walk Score, which measures how easy it is to reach nearby amenities without getting in a vehicle, and Rover’s first-party data on the trending dog breeds people are bringing home in each city. The analysis also identifies the most popular breed in each city.
“Convenient access to amenities and pedestrian friendly sidewalks and paths can make everyday life easier for everyone in the household, including the dog,” said Sheharyar Bokhari, Redfin principal economist. “For dog owners, being able to go outside and take their dog for a walk can be a meaningful part of deciding where to live. A city that makes it convenient to give dogs more exercise can also make it easier for owners to meet their neighbors and feel connected to their community.”
The East Coast Stands Out for the Best Cities to Walk Dogs
Eight out of the top 10 best cities for dog walking are on the East Coast.
Dogs are often a top consideration for homebuyers when deciding where to live, according to Redfin agent Sandra Glaser who recently helped a couple buy a home on New York’s Long Island because the backyard suited their dogs so well.
“Even though the house wasn’t as big as they wanted, they felt the backyard was perfect for their dogs. The couple kept expressing how much they loved the backyard, and that was important to the seller, so their offer was accepted,” Glaser said. “I have a lot of clients who are not only thinking about themselves but their pets too when it comes time to purchase a home.”
Goldendoodles Are America’s Most Popular Dog Breed
Goldendoodles are the most popular breed in 46 of the 107 cities analyzed. That’s more than twice as many cities as any other breed. Labrador Retrievers rank first in 21 cities, followed by Golden Retrievers in 18. Curly-coated, friendly, and seemingly everywhere: the doodle era is officially here.
The Top Trending Breeds are a More Eclectic Bunch
The Standard Schnauzer, Basset Hound and English Springer Spaniel were among the breeds gaining the fastest year-over-year growth on Rover. This shows that while a handful of breeds dominate overall popularity, local preferences can look very different from city to city.
No matter where you live and what dog you have, if you’ve opened your home to love and care for a dog, we’re guessing it’s as dog friendly as it gets.
Curious which city fits your dog best? See Redfin and Rover’s ranking of the best cities for dog walks of 2026 below.
The Best Cities for Dog Walks of 2026, Ranked
| Rank | City | Walk Score | Most Popular Breed | Top Trending Breed |
| 1. | San Francisco, CA | 88.7 | Golden Retriever | Standard Schnauzer |
| 2. | New York, NY | 88 | Goldendoodle | Schipperke |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | 86.6 | Goldendoodle | English Springer Spaniel |
| 4. | Boston, MA | 82.8 | Goldendoodle | Old English Bulldog |
| 5. | Chicago, IL | 77.2 | Goldendoodle | Toy Fox Terrier |
| 6. | Washington, DC | 76.7 | Labrador Retriever | Pomsky |
| 7. | Miami, FL | 76.6 | Goldendoodle | Coton de Tulear |
| 8. | Newark, NJ | 75.9 | Labrador Retriever | Basset Hound |
| 9. | Oakland, CA | 75.3 | Labrador Retriever | Miniature Schnauzer |
| 10. | Philadelphia, PA | 74.8 | Goldendoodle | American Foxhound |
| 11. | Seattle, WA | 74.4 | Golden Retriever | Rough Collie |
| 12. | Long Beach, CA | 73.3 | French Bulldog | Miniature Pinscher |
| 13. | Minneapolis, MN | 71.4 | Labrador Retriever | Tibetan Terrier |
| 14. | Arlington, VA | 71.2 | Goldendoodle | Basenji |
| 15. | Los Angeles, CA | 68.6 | Chihuahua | Scottish Terrier |
| 16. | Hialeah, FL | 67.9 | French Bulldog | Shih Tzu |
| 17. | Portland, OR | 67.3 | Labrador Retriever | Bulldog |
| 18. | Santa Ana, CA | 67.1 | Dachshund | Yorkshire Terrier |
| 19. | Buffalo, NY | 66.6 | Labrador Retriever | Great Pyrenees |
| 20. | St. Louis, MO | 65.7 | Labrador Retriever | Pekingese |
| 21. | Honolulu, HI | 65.7 | Chihuahua | Staffordshire Bull Terrier |
| 22. | Baltimore, MD | 64.3 | Goldendoodle | Alaskan Husky |
| 23. | Pittsburgh, PA | 62.4 | Golden Retriever | American Cocker Spaniel |
| 24. | Milwaukee, WI | 61.5 | Goldendoodle | English Mastiff |
| 25. | Denver, CO | 61.2 | Golden Retriever | Treeing Walker Coonhound |
| 26. | Rochester, NY | 60.7 | Goldendoodle | St. Bernard |
| 27. | St. Paul Park, MN | 60.4 | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog |
| 28. | New Orleans, LA | 58 | Goldendoodle | Flat Coated Retriever |
| 29. | Cleveland, OH | 57.1 | Golden Retriever | Rottweiler |
| 30. | Anaheim, CA | 55.7 | Goldendoodle | Toy Poodle |
| 31. | San Diego, CA | 53.3 | Golden Retriever | Mexican Hairless Dog |
| 32. | Detroit, MI | 51.1 | German Shepherd Dog | German Shorthaired Pointer |
| 33. | Richmond, VA | 50.9 | Labrador Retriever | Bichon Frise |
| 34. | San Jose, CA | 50.5 | Goldendoodle | Pug |
| 35. | Paradise, NV | 50.1 | Labrador Retriever | Dachshund |
| 36. | Fremont, CA | 49.9 | Goldendoodle | Miniature Schnauzer |
| 37. | Madison, WI | 49.7 | Labrador Retriever | Lhasa Apso |
| 38. | Tampa, FL | 49.5 | Golden Retriever | Miniature Australian Shepherd |
| 39. | Spokane, WA | 49.2 | Golden Retriever | Cairn Terrier |
| 40. | Cincinnati, OH | 49.1 | Goldendoodle | Samoyed |
| 41. | Sacramento, CA | 49 | Chihuahua | Brittany Spaniel |
| 42. | Omaha, NE | 48.2 | Labrador Retriever | Bernese Mountain Dog |
| 43. | Atlanta, GA | 47.7 | Goldendoodle | Chinese Crested Dog |
| 44. | Houston, TX | 47.5 | Goldendoodle | Border Terrier |
| 45. | Fresno, CA | 46.6 | Chihuahua | Australian Shepherd |
| 46. | Toledo, OH | 46.4 | Golden Retriever | Golden Retriever |
| 47. | Dallas, TX | 46 | Goldendoodle | Boykin Spaniel |
| 48. | Norfolk, VA | 45.8 | Labrador Retriever | Havanese |
| 49. | Chula Vista, CA | 45.6 | Goldendoodle | Jack Russell Terrier |
| 50. | San Bernardino, CA | 45 | Chihuahua | American Pit Bull Terrier |
| 51. | Des Moines, IA | 45 | Golden Retriever | Great Dane |
| 52. | Irving, TX | 44.8 | Goldendoodle | English Coonhound |
| 53. | Lincoln, NE | 44.1 | Labrador Retriever | Siberian Husky |
| 54. | Stockton, CA | 43.7 | Chihuahua | American Bully |
| 55. | Irvine, CA | 43.2 | Golden Retriever | Boxer |
| 56. | Tucson, AZ | 43.2 | Chihuahua | English Setter |
| 57. | St. Petersburg, FL | 43 | Golden Retriever | Dalmatian |
| 58. | Riverside, CA | 42.7 | German Shepherd Dog | Pembroke Welsh Corgi |
| 59. | Albuquerque, NM | 42.6 | Chihuahua | Australian Kelpie |
| 60. | Aurora, CO | 42.5 | Goldendoodle | Cardigan Welsh Corgi |
| 61. | Las Vegas, NV | 42 | Goldendoodle | Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier |
| 62. | Austin, TX | 41.7 | Goldendoodle | Portuguese Water Dog |
| 63. | Phoenix, AZ | 41.4 | Chihuahua | Miniature American Shepherd |
| 64. | Columbus, OH | 41.2 | Labrador Retriever | Cockapoo |
| 65. | Orlando, FL | 41.1 | Goldendoodle | Brussels Griffon |
| 66. | Plano, TX | 40.5 | Goldendoodle | Pomeranian |
| 67. | El Paso, TX | 40.4 | Chihuahua | Labradoodle |
| 68. | Corpus Christi, TX | 40.3 | German Shepherd Dog | German Shepherd Dog |
| 69. | Garland, TX | 40.2 | Dachshund | Goldendoodle |
| 70. | Glendale, AZ | 40.2 | German Shepherd Dog | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel |
| 71. | Reno, NV | 40.2 | Labrador Retriever | Poodle |
| 72. | Baton Rouge, LA | 39.1 | Labrador Retriever | Weimaraner |
| 73. | Tulsa, OK | 39 | Goldendoodle | Airedale Terrier |
| 74. | Lubbock, TX | 39 | Goldendoodle | Beagle |
| 75. | Boise, ID | 38.5 | Labrador Retriever | Catahoula Cur |
| 76. | Arlington, TX | 38.1 | Goldendoodle | English Cocker Spaniel |
| 77. | Mesa, AZ | 37.9 | Goldendoodle | Rat Terrier |
| 78. | Bakersfield, CA | 37.3 | French Bulldog | Shiba Inu |
| 79. | San Antonio, TX | 36.9 | Chihuahua | Affenpinscher |
| 80. | Laredo, TX | 36.8 | Chihuahua | Maltese |
| 81. | Colorado Springs, CO | 36.1 | Golden Retriever | Plott Hound |
| 82. | Chandler, AZ | 35.4 | Goldendoodle | West Highland White Terrier |
| 83. | Kansas City, MO | 35.3 | Goldendoodle | Labahoula |
| 84. | Memphis, TN | 35 | Goldendoodle | Giant Schnauzer |
| 85. | Fort Worth, TX | 34.9 | Golden Retriever | Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) |
| 86. | Wichita, KS | 34.8 | Goldendoodle | Vizsla |
| 87. | Louisville, KY | 34.3 | Goldendoodle | Australian Cattle Dog |
| 88. | Lexington, KY | 34.3 | Goldendoodle | Italian Greyhound |
| 89. | Oklahoma City, OK | 34.1 | Dachshund | Puggle |
| 90. | Birmingham, AL | 33.2 | Goldendoodle | Boston Terrier |
| 91. | Virginia Beach, VA | 33.1 | Labrador Retriever | Chesapeake Bay Retriever |
| 92. | Scottsdale, AZ | 31.9 | Goldendoodle | Rhodesian Ridgeback |
| 93. | Fort Wayne, IN | 31.7 | Goldendoodle | Chihuahua |
| 94. | Raleigh, NC | 31.3 | Golden Retriever | Boerboel |
| 95. | Indianapolis, IN | 31 | Goldendoodle | American Eskimo Dog |
| 96. | Anchorage, AK | 30.9 | Golden Retriever | Bernedoodle |
| 97. | Durham, NC | 30.3 | Golden Retriever | Mountain Cur |
| 98. | Henderson, NV | 30 | Goldendoodle | Fox Terrier |
| 99. | Greensboro, NC | 29.4 | Labrador Retriever | Shar Pei |
| 100. | Gilbert, AZ | 29 | Goldendoodle | Bluetick Coonhound |
| 101. | Nashville, TN | 28.8 | Goldendoodle | Lancashire Heeler |
| 102. | Charlotte, NC | 26.4 | Goldendoodle | Norwich Terrier |
| 103. | Montgomery, AL | 25.8 | Dachshund | Labrador Retriever |
| 104. | Jacksonville, FL | 25.6 | Labrador Retriever | Papillon |
| 105. | Winston-Salem, NC | 22.5 | German Shepherd Dog | Black and Tan Coonhound |
| 106. | Fayetteville, NC | 21.4 | Goldendoodle | Dutch Shepherd Dog |
| 107. | Chesapeake, VA | 21.3 | Goldendoodle | Newfoundland |
Methodology
Redfin and Rover analyzed 107 U.S. cities. Cities were ranked using Redfin’s Walk Score, a 0-to-100 measure of how easy it is to accomplish daily errands without a car, with higher scores indicating greater access for pedestrians from 2021. Rover collected the top dog breeds in each city based on millions of user-submitted breeds on Rover, as of August 2026. Popular breeds are based on total volume. The top-trending breeds were determined by year-over-year growth, with a minimum of 10 pets added in 2026.
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