It’s probably safe to say that people with pets consider those furry little friends to be official members of the family. But for renters, finding an affordable apartment that accommodates them is no easy feat.
In New Jersey, one of the state’s largest cities offers plenty of pet-friendly rentals. But it costs an arm and a leg — and a paw — to live there.
This is according to a recent report by RentCafe, which ranked 153 U.S. cities based on how pet-friendly their rental market is. This was based on the share of pet-friendly rentals in each city and how much residents pay in pet rent, deposits and fees.
Bazi is shown on a walk with his human companion, Kevin R. who rents an apartment for the two of them, shown here, Tuesday, December 2, 2025, in Jersey City.
“We’re seeing a fundamental shift here, driven by basic economics, with around 94 million U.S. households owning at least one pet,” the report reads. “This increase in pet ownership has created a powerful economic incentive for landlords. They know they can gain a competitive and financial edge from catering to this demographic and renting pet-friendly apartments.”
Overall, about 80% of the nation’s rental apartments are pet friendly. And with that comes added costs: The average pet rent is $35.65 monthly, the average pet deposit is just over $300 and the average pet fee is $315.
Jersey City, the Garden State’s second-largest city, ranked 147th overall in the report, and 6th in the Northeast. About 72.85% of this Hudson County city’s apartments are pet-friendly, just below the Northeast’s average of 75%. And while residents pay $45.33 monthly for pet rent, they also pay among the highest in the region for pet deposits and fees, at $900.
Certified K9 nutritionist, Mai Lam, is shown as she works at Hound About Town, Tuesday, December 2, 2025, in Jersey City.
Newark, the state’s overall largest city, was also named in the report. Ranking 153rd overall and 8th in the Northeast, less than half of the apartments in this Essex County city are pet friendly at 41.89%. And residents typically pay $77.78 monthly for pet rent and $483.33 for pet deposits and fees.
In the Northeast, the top cities for pet-friendly rentals include Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Albany, New York; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York.
And the overall top five pet-friendly rental cities, both in terms of availability and affordability, are Oak Park, Illinois; Fargo, North Dakota; Decatur, Georgia; Lawrenceville, Georgia; and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Pet-friendly Jersey City NJ has highest rental fees in Northeast