San Antonio is a top pet-friendly city for renters
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San Antonio is the sixth most pet-friendly city in the country for renters, per new research from Zillow.
The big picture: Pet ownership soared during the pandemic and the local real estate rental market remains pricey — and no one wants to hold a grudge against their cat for keeping them from renting that perfect apartment.
By the numbers: 75.8% of San Antonio's rental listings allow pets, Zillow found. But some of our neighbors in Texas still beat us.
- Austin is first, with 80.8% of rental listings allowing pets.
- Dallas came in second, with 78% of listings allowing pets.
- Fort Worth ranks third.
Yes, but: Landlords often add fees and additional rent for tenants with pets, unless the renter provides documentation that the animal is for emotional support or a disability.
Plus: A 2021 paper examining the burden of pet fees on Texas families found that fees in San Antonio disproportionately target lower income and non-white communities.
- High-end, pet-friendly apartments — more likely to be in high-income and predominantly white communities — are less likely to have pet fees.
Zoom out: 59% of renters nationally reported having at least one pet in 2022, up from 46% in 2018, per Zillow's latest Consumer Home Trends Report.
What they're saying: "Renters with pets who are planning to sign a new lease this year face even stiffer competition because they are limited to apartments where their furry friends are allowed," Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert, said in a statement.
Between the lines: Potential renters filter for pet-friendly listings twice as often as any other amenity on Zillow.com.