Misc
Visualizing the Most Common Pets in the U.S.
See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.
Visualizing The Most Common Pets in the U.S.
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
In this graphic, we visualized the most common American household pets, based on 2023-2024 data from the American Pet Products Association (accessed via Forbes Advisor).
Figures represent the number of households that own each pet type, rather than the actual number of each animal. The “small animal” category includes hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, mice, rats, and ferrets.
What is the Most Popular American Household Pet?
Based on this data, dogs—one of the first domesticated animals—are the most common pets in the United States. In fact, around 65 million households own a dog, and spend an average of $900 a year on their care.
Rank | Species | Households |
---|---|---|
1 | 🐶 Dog | 65M |
2 | 🐱 Cat | 47M |
3 | 🐟 Freshwater Fish | 11M |
4 | 🐰 Small Animals | 7M |
5 | 🐦 Bird | 6M |
6 | 🦎 Reptile | 6M |
7 | 🐴 Horse | 2M |
8 | 🐠 Saltwater Fish | 2M |
Note: Households can own multiple pets, and are counted for all relevant categories.
Cats rank second, at 47 million households, and these smaller felines are a little less expensive to own at $700/year according to Forbes estimates.
But aside from these two juggernauts, there are plenty of other common pet types found in households across the country.
Freshwater fish can be found in 11 million households, along with small animals—rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs—in 7 million. Meanwhile, nearly 6 million homes have birds or reptiles.
Pet Ownership is on the Rise in America
Forbes found that 66% of all American households (numbering 87 million) own at least one pet, up from 56% in 1988. One third of these (29 million) own multiple pets.
A combination of factors is driving this increase: rising incomes, delayed childbirth, and of course the impact of the pandemic which nearly cleared out animal shelters across the globe.
America’s loneliness epidemic may also be a factor. Fledgling research has shown that single-individual households with pets recorded lower rates of loneliness during the pandemic than those without a pet.
Demographics
Mapped: U.S. Immigrants by Region
This map shows which regions U.S. immigrants came from, highlighting Asia and Latin America as the biggest sources.
Breaking Down America’s Immigrant Population
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
The United States is home to more immigrants than any other nation, surpassing the combined totals of the next four countries: Germany, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
To add context to this impressive fact, we’ve illustrated the regions from which U.S. immigrants originated. “Immigrants” in this context refers to individuals who are residing in the United States but were not U.S. citizens at birth.
These statistics were sourced from the Migration Policy Institute, which analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey (ACS).
U.S. Immigrants by Region
From this graphic, we can see that Asia and Latin America emerge as the primary sources of immigration, collectively accounting for 81% of America’s 46.2 million immigrants.
Region | # of Immigrants | % of Total |
---|---|---|
Europe | 4,728,948 | 10 |
Asia | 14,349,080 | 31 |
Africa | 2,752,965 | 6 |
Oceania | 288,560 | 1 |
Northern America | 828,702 | 2 |
Latin America | 23,233,834 | 50 |
Total | 46,182,089 | 100 |
Latin America alone contributes half of the immigrant population. Mexico stands out as the largest contributor to U.S. immigration, with 10.7 million immigrants, attributable to its geographical proximity and historical ties.
Economic factors, including wage disparity and employment opportunities, drive many Mexicans to seek better prospects north of the border.
From Asia, the two largest country sources are China (2.2 million) and India (2.8 million).
Learn More About U.S. Immigration From Visual Capitalist
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out Why Do People Immigrate to the U.S.? This visualization shows the different reasons why immigrants chose to come to America in 2021.
-
Energy4 days ago
Who’s Building the Most Solar Energy?
-
Wealth2 weeks ago
Charted: Which Country Has the Most Billionaires in 2024?
-
Business2 weeks ago
The Top Private Equity Firms by Country
-
Markets1 week ago
The Best U.S. Companies to Work for According to LinkedIn
-
Economy1 week ago
Ranked: The Top 20 Countries in Debt to China
-
Politics1 week ago
Charted: Trust in Government Institutions by G7 Countries
-
Energy1 week ago
Mapped: The Age of Energy Projects in Interconnection Queues, by State
-
Mining1 week ago
Visualizing Global Gold Production in 2023