Thinking About Traveling This Summer? These Cities Have the Highest Pet Boarding Costs
According to global pet and house-sitting platform TrustedHousesitters, summer increases in pet boarding prices are affecting pet parents financially at the most inconvenient time. Even so, prices aren't rising equally across the country.
Using what they call the Pet Care Accessibility Gap Index, the company analyzed data and trends to rank pet boarding costs by city. The most expensive cities for pet boarding don't necessarily align with where housing, rent, and the cost of living are highest, which is why a little research can go a long way!
These are the cities around the United States where summer pet boarding costs are highest, and where pet parents may want to consider alternative boarding options.
The Most Expensive Cities For Pet Boarding
Calculating the most expensive cities for pet boarding required multiple datasets, including each city's number of boarding facilities, each facility's average customer rating, and the city's local price surges during past summers. Here's what TrustedHousesitters discovered:
| Rank | City | Pet boarding care facilities per 100k people | Avg. rating of facilities (/5 stars) | Avg. boarding cost per night ($) | Avg. overnight price increase during peak periods ($) | Avg. price surge during peak periods (%) | Searches per facility (demand vs availability) | Final Score /100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nashville, TN | 30 | 2.8 | $71.44 | $16.65 | 23.30% | 7 | 20.0 |
2 | Miami, FL | 80 | 2.83 | $81.60 | $17.30 | 21.20% | 3 | 24.2 |
3 | Houston, TX | 19 | 2.7 | $67.85 | $9.84 | 14.5% | 12 | 27.0 |
4 | Tucson, AZ | 36 | 2.99 | $69.83 | $13.06 | 18.7% | 6 | 28.3 |
5 | Seattle WA | 48 | 3.46 | $73.64 | $16.35 | 22.20% | 5 | 29.0 |
6 | Denver, CO | 52 | 3.12 | $71.80 | $15.94 | 22.20% | 4 | 29.8 |
7= | Philadelphia, PA | 21 | 2.99 | $64.75 | $13.14 | 20.30% | 11 | 31.1 |
7= | Chicago, IL | 15 | 3.67 | $64.38 | $18.03 | 20.80% | 15 | 31.1 |
9 | San Diego, CA | 17 | 4.07 | $64.90 | $32.45 | 50% | 13 | 31.8 |
10= | Atlanta, GA | 75 | 2.61 | $68.00 | $11.49 | 16.70% | 3 | 33.9 |
10= | New York City, NY | 6 | 3.8 | $75.20 | $6.99 | 9.30% | 37 | 33.9 |
12 | Los Angeles, CA | 12 | 4.07 | $66.30 | $15.71 | 23.70% | 19 | 34.6 |
13 | Minneapolis, MN | 46 | 2.78 | $61.87 | $11.57 | 18.70% | 5 | 35.3 |
14= | Boston, MA | 50 | 3.59 | $68.03 | $13.61 | 20% | 4 | 36.7 |
14= | Washington, DC | 57 | 3.34 | $64.83 | $17.70 | 27.30% | 4 | 36.7 |
Nationwide, overnight pet boarding costs $68 per night, on average. Prices rise by a mean of 19% during peak summer travel season-especially around the Fourth of July-but some cities see higher price surges than others. Nashville tops the list across the board, with low ratings and price increases nearing 25%, but San Diego sees the largest summer price increases at 50%
Related: Your Dog Can Join the BBQ - Here's What's Safe to Feed Them This Summer
As a dog mom from California, I was surprised that San Francisco didn't also make the list. I know firsthand just how pricey pet care can be in the Golden State, no matter how dog-friendly the Bay Area and its surrounding counties can be. Rising pet care costs mean shelters are crowded with perfectly adoptable dogs, but fewer people are adopting.
Despite being a city of millions, New York City has only 6 pet boarding facilities per 100,000 people to care for dogs and cats overnight. NYC also sees the highest demand for pet boarding of all cities analyzed, proving that scarcity can provide just as much of an accessibility issue as financial barriers.
Alternatives to Pet Boarding
As TrustedHousesitters mentioned, pet sitting is just one alternative to pet boarding that can provide peace of mind for pet parents and their wallets. Pet sitters can become dear friends to the animals they care for, and allowing a pet to stay in their home while their family is away can make the experience calmer for everyone involved.
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For some, traveling with pets is an option, too! Whether it's a cross-country road trip or a quick plane ride, transportation is becoming more pet-friendly than ever. Hopefully, soon, pet care and the costs that come with it will follow suit!
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 8:40 AM.