The 2022 survey observes for the first time that the results of the APPA survey reflected a near 50/50 split between younger and older generations.
Generation Z and Millennials made up around half the population of being pet-owners in the US in 2022 alone, as per the APPA’s (American Pet Products Association) most recent survey outcomes.
Generation X and Baby Boomers made up a maximum of the further half of the pet owners in the United States, while the builder generation dog owners spend only 2% on pets.
Absolutely! Here’s a detailed description integrating the text about pet ownership and spending habits, along with key takeaways for understanding this important market:
Pet Ownership in the U.S.: Generational Trends and Spending Habits
- Pets as Family: Pet ownership in the U.S. has risen significantly, reaching 66% of households in 2023. Pets are considered family members by most owners, with 85% of dog owners and 76% of cat owners feeling this way.
- Millennials: The Driving Force: Millennials represent the largest segment of pet owners (32%) and are willing to spend significantly on their pets – everything from premium food to pet insurance. They are also more likely to own multiple pets and a wider variety of species.
- Gen Z: Pampering Pets: Generation Z, while a smaller percentage of pet owners (14%), leads the way in spoiling pets with extras like birthday gifts, costumes, and specialized services such as dog daycare and walking.
- Insurance on the Rise: Pet insurance, once niche, is rapidly gaining popularity as a way to manage unexpected veterinary costs. Pet insurance coverage has more than doubled from 2018 to 2021.
- Spending Breakdown: Americans spent a massive $136 billion on their pets in 2022. Here’s how the spending looks:
- Food and treats: $58 billion
- Veterinary care: $35.9 billion
- Over-the-counter medicine and supplies: $ 31.5 billion
- Other: Grooming, pet insurance, toys, clothes, etc.
Key Takeaways
- Pets Are Big Business: The pet industry is enormous and still growing, driven by increased pet ownership and a shift towards treating pets as beloved family members.
- Shifting Demographics: Millennials and Gen Z are changing the pet market. They’re focused on pet well-being, open to a broader range of pet types, and willing to invest in premium products and services.
- Insurance as Protection: The rise of pet insurance indicates a growing desire to ensure pets’ health and protect owners from unexpected financial burdens.
- Beyond the Basics: Spending on pets isn’t just about food and vet care. Americans are increasingly investing in pet-related services, fun accessories, and specialized products, reflecting the deepening bond between people and their pets.
FAQs and Additional Insights
- The U.S. spends more per capita on pets than any other country.
- Spaying and neutering costs vary but can range from hundreds of dollars.
- Pet grooming costs depend on breed, size, and service type.
Businesses targeting the pet market should consider these essential factors to successfully reach their consumers!
Pet Ownership Statistics 2023
Generally, pet ownership in the United States has significantly jumped over the past 10 years. As of 2023, around 66% of United States households (approximately 86.9 million houses) own a pet.
From emotional support to companionship, pets are a crucial part of current pet owners’ lives. To be true, around 76% of cat owners and 85% of dog owners think their pets are an inseparable member of their family.
We have conducted an in-depth dive into the most recent available statistics of pet owners to know which generation is pending the most on pets, how pet ownership, as well as spending habits, vary from generation to generation, pet ownership cost, and the most familiar lifestyle compromises made by the pet owners in the U.S.
Pet Owner Statistics In 2023
As per the pet owner statistics studies, in the United States, the ratio of pet owners increase over the past few years.
The constant rise in pet ownership statistics reached a stage where pet insurance companies are also gaining popularity quickly. Once pet insurance market was obscure, but now it has doubled from 2018-2021.
Since pet insurance policies prevent pet owners from paying the entire cost of unplanned veterinary care when their pet gets sick or injured, pet owners are spending more money on such insurance.
Here are a few interesting facts regarding pet ownership in the U.S.:
- As of 2022, 66% of United States households (i.e. 86.9 million houses) own a pet.
- 78% of American pet owners adopted or bought pets during the 2020 pandemic.
- American pet owners spend around $123.6 Billion on their pets
- In Canada, Canadian pet owners normally spend around $2,150 on cats, $2,912 on dogs, and also $995 on rabbits each year.
- Families with yearly incomes of $100,000+ are owning pets: 40% own cats and 63% own dogs.
- The number of pet-owning families increased from 2016 to 2020 the most
- The pet food industry (European Pet Food Industry) has increased by around 2.8% over the last few years.
- The average dog owner normally spent $1,480 while the average cat owner normally spent $902 on their pets in U.S. households.
Pet Ownership In The U.S. By Generations
A few decades ago, millennials were the age group in the U.S. with the most increased pet ownership percentage. Data revealed by the GfK research firm during the 2015 Global Pet Expo calculated that around 35.2% of millennials in the U.S. owned a pet, in contrast with 32.8% of boomers.
During the latest Global Pet Expo, APPA analysis revealed how millennials persisted to become the most extensive American pet spending generation in the U.S. They spend on pet products, vet bills, pet boarding, pet services, veterinary costs, etc. as compared to other generations in the U.S. households.
From 2019 and 2022, APPA survey information suggests that millennial generations continued to grow their share of pet parenting, as the gap between younger and older generations grew day by day.
Now, millennials make up around 32% of all United States pet owners, whereas the baby boomers declined their share of being pet parents to around 27% of the total numbers.
In 2019, millennials were the biggest generation at 31%, however, baby boomers were at 29%, as well as Gen X estimated for 26%.
While Generation Z (the generation younger than the millennial generation) grew to around 14% of the United States pet owner population. But, Gen X declined to 24%
Millennials have expanded significantly in cat ownership, rising from 30%-34%, whereas only increasing 1% in dog ownership. Also, Millennials increased in bird ownership significantly, going from 36%-45% between 2018-2020.
Still, dogs are the top preference of pets among the millennial generation. 80% of millennials have dogs among total pet owners in the U.S.
Millennials Pet Parents
Millennials are the largest share of recent pet owners (around 33%), while Gen X shares 25% and the baby boomers share 24% only.
Gen Z Pet Parents
Gen Z (ages 18-25) pet owners are more likely to have a wide range of pets than other generations.
Gen X Pet Parents
Gen X (ages 42-57) pet owners are among the least share to own pets other than dogs and cats, such as birds, hamsters, and fish.
Top Pet Ownership Percentage By Generations
Millennials
1. Cats – 53%
2. Dogs – 80%
Generation X
1. Cats – 55%
2. Dogs – 78%
Generation Z
1. Cats – 46%
2. Dogs – 78%
Baby boomers
1. Cats – 45%
2. Dogs – 69%
Pet Insurance Statistics In The United States
Pet owners in the U.S. always make sure that their pets stay healthy and happy. And for this reason, it is quite normal that the insurance industry for pets has likewise been on the heap in the past few years.
As Per NAPHA, Only 2.48% Of All Pets Are Insured In The US:
United States pet ownership statistics and pet spending indicate that only 2.48% of all pets are insured in the US. And dogs denote 81.7% of the total pet insurance coverage in the US.
Nevertheless, this ratio is surely growing, since the pet insurance industry is rapidly growing. From 2016-2021, the market increased by 28.3%.
Maximum pet owners went for cooperative insurance. This makes up around $2.41 billion of the total. Only $7.42 million went into accident insurance, while $171.9 million got toward riders like wellness & cancer endorsements.
The statistics of the pet insurance market show that pet owners mainly seek to protect illness-related expenses with their insurance premiums. This is understandable, believing that infections, digestive tract problems, and also cancer are rather common health issues in pets.
Alternatively, monthly insurance coverage for accidents costs around only $19.93 for dogs as well as only $10.85 for cats.
As Per APPA, Pet Insurance Grew Greatly During the Pandemic, Since 14% of Existing and Previous Pet Owners In The US Got New Pets
As per APPA’s survey, around 25% of existing and previous pet owners acquired new pets during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most Common Pets In The United States Households
The most popular pets in the United States households are dogs and then cats. However, there is still a lot of passion for other species and animals as well. Millions of houses include birds, fish, and small animals such as rabbits and hamsters.
The most common pets in the United States are:
- Cats (in around 46.5 million houses)
- Dogs (in around 65.1 million houses)
- Small animals like gerbils, hamsters, rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs, ferrets, and mice (in around 6.7 million houses)
- Freshwater fish (in around 11.1 million houses)
Cost of Pet Ownership In The United States
While the passion for a pet is incalculable, the cost of having one isn’t. Veterinary care, food, grooming, treats, as well as other expenses can add up fast.
For instance, 41% of dog owners in the United States spend between $500 & $1,999 per year on their puppies, and around 8% spend over $2,000.
And in case an unplanned vet bill comes up for a significant incident, the pet owner can be on the verge of thousands of bucks just for that— around 42% of pet owners declare they cannot cover a vet bill of around $999 or less.
Insurance can partly reimburse you as soon as you settle the bill for a pet’s unforeseen illnesses and accidents. While the pet owner may not wish to add another cost to the pet care expenses, the pet owner might be astonished at how inexpensive pet insurance plans for pets can be.
The moderate pet insurance fee for dogs is around $44 per month, as well as the average cost of pet insurance for cats, is around $30 per month.
Here is a deeper look at the expense of pet ownership in the United States:
- Dog owners in the United States spend around $730 per year on their furry friends in the United States
- Houses spent around $326 on veterinary care costs in 2022 (on all veterinary services and medication). This expense estimated for 33% of the total pet spending on house pets in the United States.
- 41% of all dog owners generally spend between $500 to $1,999 per year on dogs, as well as around 8% spend over $2,000.
- With its significant $207.9 billion cost, the market for pet care is still rising as more houses own a pet in 2022
- 36% of all dog owners generally spend between $200 to $499 on dogs every year.
- Dog owners generally spend the highest on veterinary care (around $367 a year), food (around $339 a year), and also grooming (around $99 a year).
- Gen Z as well as Millennials make up around 59% of total new pet owners in the U.S.
- Generation Z pet owners (18 to 25 years old) are to spoil their pets the most with birthday presents (around 39%), birthday cakes (around 34%), and also costumes or clothing (around 32%).
- Cat owners generally spend the highest on foods (around $310 a year), then veterinary care (around $253 a year), and also toys ($50 a year)
- Gen Z is the most likely to spend money on pets on behavioral training (around 41%), specialized pet foods (around 44%), doggy daycare (around 35%), and also dog walking services (around 31%).
FINAL WORDS
Pet industry costs in the U.S. reached more than 136 billion dollars in 2022. This should be mentioned that our source utilized a new research process from 2018, thus, direct comparisons to prior years must be avoided.
The growth in the house penetration ratio for pet owners in the United States could partially explain the advancement in pet industry costs over the past few years. In 2022 alone, around 66% of American houses owned 1 or more pets.
In 2022 alone, pet food and treats were the highest-selling product categories with sales of approximately 58 billion dollars. Moreover, vet care, as well as OTC medicine/supplies, rated in 2nd and 3rd places, with overall sales of approximately 35.9 -31.5 billion U.S. dollars.
FAQ:
Q. How much does tHE pet spaying pROCESS cost iN tHE u.s.?
A. Costs of the dog spaying process typically run between $200-$500 in the United States based on various aspects, while prices for the spaying process of a cat normally run between only $200-$300.
Q. How much does The pet grooming Procedure cost In The U.S.?
A. The pet grooming procedure in the U.S. can cost you between $30-$90 for dogs, while about $30-$70 for cats. Remember that the costs can differ widely depending on what your grooming session contains.
Q. Besides Vet Care and Food, What Else Do Pet Parents Spend Money On?
A. There’s a huge tendency to spend money on insurance for pets, and the insurance industry saw a 63% growth expansion from 2018-2021 in the United States.
Moreover, pet parents go for buying gourmet food, pet fashion supplements, over-the-counter accessories, and services such as doggie daycare, dog walking, and also grooming.
Also, the latest trend saw that Americans spend around $490 million on outfits for pets to celebrate the occasion of Halloween.
Q. Which Country Spends The Highest On Their Pets?
A. The U.S. spends the highest per capita on their pets, more than $150 for each person. While the United Kingdom comes next, which is at $93 for each person.
Q. How Much Does Each Generation Expend On their Pets Per Year?
A. Here is a gist of the expenditure on pets each year:
- Millennials spend around $1,195
- Baby Boomers spend around $926
- Generation X spends around $1,100
Q. Which Generation Prefer Which Pets?
A. Here is a list of pets preferred by each generation in the U.S.
- Generation X: Cats: 41%, Dogs: 52%, Birds: 9%, Rabbits: 3%, Fish: 14%, Hamsters: 4%, Amphibians or Reptiles: 5%, And Others: 5%
- Millennials: Cats: 29%, Dogs: 61%, Birds: 5%, Fish: 9%, Rabbits: 3%, Hamsters: 4%, Amphibians or Reptiles: 2%, And Others: 3%
- Baby Boomers: Cats: 29%, Dogs: 37%, Birds: 2%, Fish: 6%, Rabbits: 0%, Hamsters: 0%, Amphibians or Reptiles: 1%, And Others: 1%
Q. What Percentage Of Pet Ownership In The U.S. Seen Across the Generations?
A. See the percentage below:
- Generation X: around 24% of all pets
- Millennials: around 32% of all pets
- Baby Boomers: around 27% of all pets
Q. How Many Pets Are There in the U.S.?
A. There are 90.5 million pet-owning households in the United States, according to studies.
It is hardly unexpected that dogs are significantly more prevalent than any other species. The fact that cats are the second-most popular pet is also not surprising.
The fact that 5.7 million American households have reptiles may surprise you. One reptile exists for every ten dogs.
