Dog owners rejoice — this Kansas city was named No. 4 in US for affordable pet ownership

Live in Wichita and want to get a pet? This Forbes ranking might convince you.

According to the report, Wichita is one of the most affordable cities in the U.S. to own a pet. With a score of 91.46 out of 100, Wichita ranked the No. 4 best place for pet owners, right above Cincinnati and right below Nashville.

The rankings were done by measuring the cost of veterinarian visits, spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, the amount of pet stores, vet clinics and more.

Overall, Wichita was ranked the second best city for dog and cat veterinary costs.

Here’s the average of pet costs in Wichita, according to the Forbes ranking:

• Dog spay/neuter surgeries: $420.55
• Cat spay/neuter surgeries: $260.70
• Dog and cat vet clinic visits: $54.95
• Dog vaccinations: $192.07
• Cat vaccinations: $83.75
• Dog and cat dental cleanings: $334.95

Forbes also reports Wichita has the second highest concentration of pet stores in the country and the 13th highest for veterinarian clinics.

In order to own a dog in Wichita, one must get a dog license renewed every year for any dog older than 5 months. The fee for the license can reach $46, but the amount can be reduced if the dog is spayed or neutered, microchipped or lives on a fenced property.

All dogs in Wichita are required to receive the rabies vaccine at least every three years.

According to Forbes, 66% of households in the U.S. have pets, a 10% increase from 1988. The three most popular pets in the nation are dogs, cats and freshwater fish.

Here are Forbes’ 10 best cities for pet owners:

1. Tucson, Ariz.
2. Raleigh, N.C.
3. Nashville, Tenn.
4. Wichita, Kansas
5. Cincinnati, Ohio
6. Plano, Texas
7. Albuquerque, N.M.
8. Kansas City, Mo.
9. Louisville, Ky.
10. Glendale, Ariz.

This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 11:09 AM.

Lindsay Smith

The Wichita Eagle

Lindsay Smith is a suburban news reporter for the Wichita Eagle, covering the communities of Andover, Bel Aire, Derby, Haysville and Kechi. She has been on The Eagle staff since 2022 and was the service journalism reporter for three years. She has a degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism from Wichita State, where she was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Sunflower, for two years. You can reach her via email at lsmith@wichitaeagle.com.