As Australia celebrates International Dog Day (26 August), the numbers tell a heartwarming story: dogs are by far our favourite pet, found in nearly half of all households (48 per cent) according to Animal Medicines Australia’s Pets in Australia report. With an average of 1.3 dogs per dog-owning household, Australia is home to approximately 6.4 million pet dogs.
This translates to roughly one dog for every five Australians, a ratio that remains remarkably consistent across states and regions.
Not surprisingly, where our dogs live closely mirrors human population distribution: two-thirds reside in major cities, while the remaining third call regional areas home.
However, some fascinating regional patterns emerge. Queensland is uniquely regionally focussed, with more than half (52 per cent) of dogs living outside major cities, largely due to high dog ownership on the Gold Coast. Victoria presents the opposite extreme, with three-quarters (76 per cent) of its dogs concentrated in Melbourne.
Meanwhile, NSW offers the most balanced distribution, closely mirroring the national average with two-thirds of dogs living in Sydney.
Our love of dogs transcends where we live, spanning from high-rise apartments to suburban homes with sprawling backyards.
In NSW, inner-city suburbs dominate the rankings, indicating that high-density living clearly hasn’t deterred dog lovers.
Rosebery leads Sydney’s inner suburbs, followed by Alexandria, North Sydney and Marrickville.
Meanwhile, coastal Maroubra ties with Rosebery as the suburb with the highest pet ownership in Sydney.
Finally, Macquarie Park’s popularity reflects its unique proposition of high-density apartment living combined with access to Lane Cove National Park.
Melbourne presents an intriguing contrast, with the CBD tied alongside suburban Berwick as the most popular suburb for dog owners.
The CBD’s prominence demonstrates how apartment living hasn’t dampened enthusiasm for dog ownership. Further down the list, Point Cook and Pakenham represent growth corridors where new families can afford larger properties with space for pets.
Affluent established suburbs maintain their appeal, with South Yarra and Glen Iris offering prestige locations where dog ownership complements the upmarket lifestyle.
Queensland shows the strongest regional representation, dominated by Gold Coast suburbs that offer larger, affordable properties combined with extensive beach access that supports an outdoor lifestyle culture.
Pimpama tops the state’s list, while Southport – also the Gold Coast’s most populous suburb – and Coomera tie for second.
Upper Coomera and Cleveland share third place, with Cleveland being the first non-Gold Coast suburb to appear. Varsity Lakes and Nerang round out the coastal contingent.
Meanwhile, Brisbane’s representatives, Morningside and Moorooka, come from established inner-south suburbs with riverside parks and suburban space.
South Australia’s dog-loving suburbs reflect a clear preference for family-oriented communities where dogs have space to roam.
Three of the state’s top five are located in the Adelaide Hills and outer growth areas – Woodcroft, Mount Barker, and Aberfoyle Park – offering larger properties and affordable prices ideal for families with dogs. Prospect breaks the mould as the sole inner-city representative, while Henley Beach commands a significant premium for its coveted beachside lifestyle.
Western Australia has the highest concentration of coastal suburbs with four of the top five suburbs embracing beachside living: Scarborough, Baldivis, Waikiki, and Port Kennedy. The Rockingham area, encompassing Baldivis, Waikiki, and Port Kennedy, proves particularly popular, offering expanding suburban communities with pet-friendly housing and beach access without inner-city price premiums. Meanwhile, Mount Lawley and Fremantle provide heritage charm with urban amenities, while Rivervale represents inner-city living.
Australia’s most popular dog-owning suburbs reveal that our four-legged friends thrive in remarkably diverse environments, from Melbourne’s bustling CBD to Queensland’s coastal havens and South Australia’s spacious hill suburbs.
What unites these communities isn’t geography or housing type, but rather a shared commitment to making space for pets regardless of whether that means apartment balconies, suburban backyards, or beachside walks.
Atom Go Tian is the Senior Data Analyst at the Ray White Group