Reference page
U.S. pet industry statistics, 2026.
Current, citable figures on pet spending, household ownership, and economic impact. Every number links to its named source so writers, researchers, and pet businesses can check the original context.
Last updated October 16, 2026. Figures cover the source year shown with each statistic.
Ownership and spending
Key U.S. pet industry figures
These six figures come from the American Pet Products Association’s March 2026 industry release, reporting 2025 results and its 2026 projection.
$158 billion
U.S. pet industry expenditures in 2025
APPA reported 3.7% growth from the prior year.
APPA, March 26, 2026$165 billion
Projected U.S. pet industry sales for 2026
This is APPA’s forecast, not an actual-sales figure.
APPA, March 26, 202695 million
U.S. households with at least one pet in 2025
APPA describes ownership as stable in 2025.
APPA, March 26, 202653%
U.S. households that owned a dog in 2025
That is 71 million dog-owning households, according to APPA.
APPA, March 26, 202639%
U.S. households that owned a cat in 2025
That is 53 million cat-owning households, according to APPA.
APPA, March 26, 202622%
Pet owners who said they spent less on pets in 2025
APPA said this was 10% higher than in 2024.
APPA, March 26, 2026Economic impact
The wider pet economy
These figures describe an economic-impact model. They should not be read as a substitute for annual pet-industry spending.
1.27 million
Jobs in pet-related goods and service industries
The economic-impact study reports this direct employment figure.
APPA economic impact page, citing a March 2024 Michigan State University study2.75 million
Jobs linked directly or indirectly to the pet support sector
This includes direct and indirect employment in the study’s economic-impact model.
APPA economic impact page, citing a March 2024 Michigan State University study$302.6 billion
Annual U.S. transactions with multiplier effects
This is the study’s broader economic-activity measure, not direct pet spending.
APPA economic impact page, citing a March 2024 Michigan State University studyMethodology and sources
How to use this page
This page selects only figures that are publicly stated by the named source. The source year appears with each figure because publication date and data year can differ. Spending and ownership statistics are from APPA’s March 26, 2026 release. Economic-impact figures come from APPA’s public impact page, which cites The Economics of the US Pet Food and Pet Supply Industry, Product Center and Center for Economic Analysis, Michigan State University, March 2024.
- APPA, “U.S. Pet Industry Reaches $158 Billion in 2025, Poised for Continued Growth in 2026,” March 26, 2026
- APPA, “U.S. Economic Impact of the Pet Industry,” accessed October 16, 2026
Cite this page
Pet Food & Accessories. “U.S. Pet Industry Statistics, 2026.” Updated October 16, 2026. https://petfoodandaccessories.org/pet-industry-statistics