Pet Cost
Planner

State comparison · Model 1.0.0

Pet costs by state, without false precision.

For the fixed reference scenario, the national estimate is $114 per month for one cat and $153 per month for one medium dog. Compare every state below, then personalize the assumptions in the calculator.

Updated: August 13, 2026 · Model 1.0.0

The national reference at a glance

One adult cat$114/month

$1,364 per year

One medium adult dog$153/month

$1,834 per year

Locations compared52

50 states, D.C., and the U.S. reference

Fixed reference scenario: one adult pet; insurance benchmark included; setup, dental, boarding, professional grooming, and emergency savings excluded. The ten-year figure repeats the annual estimate in flat dollars. Displayed dollars are rounded, while each table cell’s machine-readable value retains full precision.

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Cat and medium-dog costs by state

The rows are alphabetical, with the U.S. average first. Annual figures are predictable-care estimates; emergency savings remain separate.

Model 1.0.0 fixed-scenario estimates in U.S. dollars
LocationCat / monthCat / yearMedium dog / monthMedium dog / year
U.S. average$114$1,364$153$1,834
Alabama$111$1,332$150$1,799
Alaska$118$1,418$158$1,891
Arizona$112$1,339$151$1,812
Arkansas$109$1,308$148$1,773
California$118$1,418$158$1,891
Colorado$113$1,356$152$1,826
Connecticut$113$1,354$152$1,826
Delaware$112$1,341$151$1,812
District of Columbia$118$1,422$158$1,895
Florida$113$1,356$152$1,827
Georgia$113$1,352$152$1,820
Hawaii$122$1,458$161$1,933
Idaho$111$1,337$150$1,806
Illinois$116$1,395$155$1,866
Indiana$111$1,331$150$1,800
Iowa$109$1,303$147$1,766
Kansas$109$1,307$148$1,771
Kentucky$111$1,330$150$1,797
Louisiana$109$1,310$148$1,775
Maine$113$1,354$152$1,826
Maryland$116$1,389$155$1,861
Massachusetts$114$1,365$153$1,838
Michigan$112$1,339$151$1,810
Minnesota$114$1,371$153$1,841
Mississippi$111$1,329$150$1,795
Missouri$111$1,327$149$1,793
Montana$111$1,334$150$1,802
Nebraska$109$1,306$147$1,769
Nevada$111$1,336$150$1,805
New Hampshire$114$1,366$153$1,839
New Jersey$119$1,427$158$1,902
New Mexico$111$1,335$150$1,803
New York$119$1,430$159$1,905
North Carolina$111$1,337$150$1,805
North Dakota$109$1,313$148$1,775
Ohio$110$1,318$149$1,786
Oklahoma$109$1,310$148$1,775
Oregon$117$1,406$156$1,877
Pennsylvania$113$1,361$153$1,831
Rhode Island$113$1,353$152$1,825
South Carolina$111$1,335$150$1,804
South Dakota$109$1,313$148$1,775
Tennessee$111$1,327$149$1,792
Texas$112$1,345$151$1,812
Utah$111$1,338$151$1,807
Vermont$113$1,350$152$1,822
Virginia$114$1,370$153$1,840
Washington$117$1,408$157$1,882
West Virginia$112$1,341$151$1,811
Wisconsin$110$1,324$149$1,792
Wyoming$111$1,334$150$1,804

What the state difference means

Pet goods and pet-care services are adjusted separately using 2024 Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities. The model does not claim that every veterinarian, insurer, groomer, or retailer in a state charges the same amount.

Among states, Hawaii is highest in the medium-dog comparison at $1,933 per year, while Iowa is lowest at $1,766. Treat that spread as a planning signal, not a substitute for written local estimates.

Dog costs by stateCompare small, medium, and large dogs.Cat costs by stateCompare monthly, annual, and planning ranges.Read the methodologyInspect formulas, dates, sources, and limitations.

Questions about these estimates

Which state has the highest modeled pet-care cost in this comparison?

Hawaii has the highest modeled annual reference estimate for both a cat and a medium dog in model 1.0.0. This reflects the model's state goods and service price adjustments, not a provider survey.

Are these average household expenses?

No. These are consistent planning scenarios generated from published baselines, inflation factors, state price parities, an insurance benchmark, and disclosed project heuristics. They are not observed household averages or local quotes.

Can I use these figures to compare states?

Yes, if you preserve the fixed scenario and model version. For a personal budget, use the calculator and replace model categories with written local quotes where possible.