10-Year Growth Demographics for Owning Dogs

Over the 10-year 2010/11 to 2020/21 period, some of the key growth for dog ownership has primarily been in demographics traditionally under-represented as dog owners. This trend is spurred by several dynamics, including the graying of the U.S. population, the shifting composition of American households, and the increasing appeal of dog ownership to demographics traditionally less prone to have pet dogs.

While the number of households without children at home grew by 20% between 2010/11 and 2020/21, for example, the number of dog-owning households without children grew by 27%, or by 7.0 million to 33.1 million.

Retiree Households

While the number of retiree households grew by 35% between 2010/11 and 2020/21, the number of dog-owning retiree households grew by 67%.

Never-Married Adults

While the number of households with never-married adults grew by 22% between 2010/11 and 2020/21, the number of dog-owning households with never-married adults grew by 32%.

65- to 74-Year Olds

While the number of households with adults age 65-74 grew by 60% between 2010/11 and 2020/21, the number of dog-owning households with adults age 65-74 grew by 78%.

Where to Learn More

Find additional analysis of the U.S. market for co-branded credit cards in the newly released Packaged Facts report Pet Population and Ownership Trends in the U.S., 5th Edition.

About the blogger: David Sprinkle is the Publisher and Research Director for Packaged Facts.