best locations to start a dog business

The Best Locations to Start a Dog Business in America: Top 25 List

Want to start a dog business but don’t know of the perfect location? Luckily we did all the hard work for you. We went through an extensive process to figure out the best locations to start a dog business in America and narrowed it down to pick our favorite 25. These 25 locations were chosen based on their unemployment rate, average income, and even “dog to human” ratio! Take a look below and see if you find your city on this list.

1. Los Altos, California

best locations to open a dog businessLos Altos, a city in Santa Clara County, California, is home to tons of pet-friendly people. The area of Los Altos is booming with tech-minded entrepreneurs who typically move to the area to raise families. This is the perfect location to invest in a dog business because this area has an incredibly low unemployment rate of 2.1%. All of these reasons are why Los Altos is number one on our top 25 best locations for dog business list. 

2. Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas is a beautiful area which is growing at an alarming rate. Did you know that over 70% of millennial own pets? Most restaurants welcome dogs to join diners on the patio, and the temperate climate is perfect for eating outside. There are many swimming spots for dogs as well in Austin, which is why we ranked them number two on our top 25 locations for dog business list.

3. Dayton, Ohio

Dayton, Ohio is one of the most friendly locations on this list. With many dog friendly options to choose from, Dayton is a great place to own a dog grooming business. Ohio in general is a dog friendly state, with many dog parks available in the Dayton area. There are many ways to make money in the dog industry, and Dayton, Ohio is a great location to start.

4. Knoxville, Tennessee

Knoxville is one of my favorite locations on this list because it’s surprisingly filled with loads of dog business potential with very little competition. Owning a dog grooming business in Knoxville is a great opportunity that you should consider if you live around the area or have always wanted to move to Tennessee.

5. Wilmington, North Carolina

best locations to open a dog business

Wilmington is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Home to many dog friendly restaurants and dog parks, Wilmington is ripe for the picking. We believe all parts of both North and South Carolina are some of the most profitable areas for dog grooming businesses in 2019 and beyond. In particular, Wilmington is an excellent place to invest in a dog grooming business.

6. Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan is a high income area that homes the University of Michigan. There is tons of potential in Ann Arbor considering there are tons of millennial dog owners that live in the area. Did you know that over 60% of millennials buy clothing for their pets? Ann Arbor, Michigan rounds out our top 5 of dog friendly locations for business.

7. St. Petersburg, Florida

Sunny St. Petersburg, Florida is one of the best cities in the world for owning a pet and/or pet franchise. There is tons of things to do in the Tampa and St.Petersburg area for dog owners. There are many dog grooming businesses in the Tampa/St.Pete area, however, none of them stand out which is why this is a great market to invest in as well.

8. Yorba Linda, California

37 miles from downtown Los Angeles in Orange County is the town of Yorba Linda. Orange County’s beautiful landscape and proximity to downtown Los Angeles attracts an affluent group of residents. This group of residents is prominent for their high income and it also helps they nearly 70% of residents are reported to have an animal in the household. Yorba Linda is a fantastic place to invest in a dog business.

9. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina is a fantastic place to live in if you’re a dog/dog owner. Mount Pleasant has one of the highest average income cities in South Carolina, which makes it a great place to own a dog business. If you’re in the South Carolina area, we highly recommend you considering investing in a dog grooming franchise in the Mount Pleasant area.

10. Rochester, New York

best locations to open a dog business

Rochester, New York is a great place for dog business owners. There is tons of potential in Rochester with very little dog grooming competition to speak of. We recommend Rochester because it has one of the largest dog populations in the state of New York. This is a city loaded with dog business potential.

11. Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines is a fantastic place for both dog owners and dog business investors. We love Des Moines because of the high-income and low-competition this city has to offer. Des Moines is one of the strongest investment areas for dog businesses because there is much more demand than there is supply in 2019. If you’re in the midwest and are looking to invest into the dog grooming industry, we highly recommend you check out Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique.

12. Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale, Arizona is a great place to own a dog because of all the dog parks in the local area. This is a fantastic place to also invest in a dog business, whether it be dog grooming or something else, there is a high demand for eco-friendly dog supplies in this area. Scottsdale, Arizona rounds out our top 10 because there is just too much potential in this town and not enough dog businesses!

13. Milton, Georgia

Milton, Georgia is the highest earning income city in Georgia, right next to Peachtree City, Georgia, which is actually home to one of the most successful Splash and Dash dog grooming locations. We believe Milton has even more potential than the Peachtree City location and that’s saying a lot! If you’re interested in invested in a dog grooming franchise in Georgia, we highly recommend you check out Milton.

14. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Nature may seem like a distant fantasy to city-dwellers, but not for dogs and humans who live in Colorado Springs. Not only are there plenty of dog parks, there are places like the Crags Trail through Pike National Forest, or Seven Falls, a canyon filled with beautiful waterfalls. This is the perfect place to invest in a dog business, there is just so much opportunity in Colorado Springs. It’s an incredible city which is why we included it on our best locations for dog franchises list.

15. Torrance, California

best locations to open a dog businessTorrance, California is a small coastal town in Los Angeles County. Torrance ranks 3rd for average business revenue when compared to every other city across California. Nearly 60% of all citizens in this area have reported owning a dog. This is a great place to invest into, and an even better place to have a dog franchise.

16. Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia is the second largest city in South Carolina which means its a perfect location to invest in a dog business! The people in Columbia love dogs and treat them like family, which works well with the Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique motto “Dogs are treated like family!” This is a great place to own a pet business, and an even greater place to raise a family.

17. Cary, North Carolina

Cary, North Carolina is one of our favorite locations on this list because there is just so much potential. There isn’t too much dog grooming competition in Cary and it’s the perfect time to invest! 2019 will be a huge year for dog businesses, a market that grows on average 10% a year and shows no signs of slowing down!

18. Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville, Florida is another cute “college town” that offers load of doggy potential when you look at the millennial market that spends loads of money on their pups! Many entrepreneurs are surprised at how much money the 25-34 age group spends on their pets, however, they shouldn’t be surprised to find out that a recent study by the Yale University found that nearly 85% of the younger generation considers their pets a part of the family. It’s never been a better time to invest in the dog industry than now.

19. Forest Hills, Tennessee

Forest Hills, Tennessee is one of the highest earning cities in Tennessee. This is the perfect location for a dog grooming business when you look at the lack of competition and possibility of potential in the Forest Hills area. We believe Forest Hills is a “diamond in the rough” considering the average earning income and the lack of competition in the surrounding area. This is one of our favorite investment areas of 2019.

20. San Francisco, California

best locations to open a dog businessThe tech boom has helped San Francisco become one of the strongest business communities in the U.S. You probably interact with many San Francisco-based businesses on a daily basis: AirBnb, Gap, Levi Strauss, Lyft, Twitter, Uber, Square, and Yelp are just a few of the thousands of companies that call San Francisco home.

21. Huntington Woods, Michigan

Huntington Woods, Michigan is another area that has a massive disparity in average income and competition. This works perfectly with the Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique business plan. Splash and Dash likes to target high income areas because they cater to the “boutique” dog grooming industry. Eco friendly dog toys and organic dog treats is what makes Splash and Dash the perfect investment for the Huntington Woods area.

22. Houston, Texas

Houston is one of the biggest dog markets in the world. With over 2 million people living in the greatest Houston area, there is tons of dog business opportunities. There is so many possibilities when you have a high populous area, and Houston is the highest populated city in the big state of Texas. Texas in general is a great place to invest in the dog business, with many dog parks and swimming holes available all over the state.

23. Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida is a massive market that includes multiple sports teams, colleges, and hundreds of thousands of dog owners. This is the perfect location for dog owners and an even better location for dog business investors. High per-capita areas such as Jacksonville, makes it a perfect location for a Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique because the “bath and brush” membership offers the comfort and reliability of monthly revenue.

24. Thousand Oaks, California

Thousand Oaks is located 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles in Ventura County. Thousand oaks actually has the 3rd-highest median household income in California currently. There are several corporate headquarters and regional offices, including Amgen, General Dynamics, Verizon, and Volkswagen. What’s there not to love about Thousand Oaks when you have so much opportunity to invest in such a successful area.

25. Fort Worth, Texas

best locations to open a dog businessFort Worth is another Texas location which is perfect for dog business investments such as dog daycares and dog grooming. Fort Worth is the perfect mix of both Austin and Houston, they offer a good population and average income stream. Last but not least, Fort Worth rounds up our top 25 best US Cities for dog grooming locations list.

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