What this page covers
There is no single nationwide count of emotional support animals. Instead, this reference brings together the strongest available context: disability prevalence, household pet ownership, and the federal housing framework that distinguishes assistance animals from pets.
These figures are useful background, not a substitute for an individualized housing or clinical determination.
Key statistics
The numbers at a glance
95 million
U.S. households owned at least one pet
APPA reports this figure for 2025, showing the scale of pet ownership across the country.
Source: APPA, 2026 State of the Industry53%
Of U.S. households owned a dog
That represents 71 million dog-owning households in 2025, according to APPA.
Source: APPA, 2026 State of the Industry28.7%
Of U.S. adults have a disability
CDC describes disability as affecting more than one in four adults in the United States.
Source: CDC, Disability and Health Overview13.9%
Of U.S. adults report a cognitive disability
CDC lists difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions among the disability types it tracks.
Source: CDC, Disability and Health Overview12.2%
Of U.S. adults report a mobility disability
CDC identifies mobility difficulty, including walking or climbing stairs, as another commonly reported disability type.
Source: CDC, Disability and Health Overview2 types
Of assistance animals appear in HUD’s housing guidance
HUD distinguishes service animals from other assistance animals that may do work, perform tasks, provide assistance, or provide therapeutic emotional support.
Source: HUD Notice FHEO-2020-01Housing context
Assistance animals are not pets under HUD guidance
HUD explains that an assistance animal may work, provide assistance, perform tasks, or provide emotional support that alleviates one or more identified effects of a person’s disability. In housing, a person with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation related to an assistance animal.
Important distinction: An emotional support animal can be relevant to a housing request. It is not the same as a psychiatric service dog, which is trained to perform disability-related work or tasks.
Learn about ESA housing documentationMethodology and sources
How to use these statistics
Every figure above links to its original publisher. Figures are reported as published, with the source date shown below. This page is reviewed regularly so readers can find the current source material in one place.
- American Pet Products Association, 2026 State of the IndustryPublished March 2026, reporting 2025 survey data
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Disability and Health OverviewUpdated May 2, 2025
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Assistance AnimalsAccessed October 14, 2026
- HUD Notice FHEO-2020-01, Assessing a Person’s Request to Have an Animal as a Reasonable AccommodationJanuary 28, 2020
Cite this page
American Support Animals. “U.S. Assistance Animal, Disability & Pet Ownership Statistics.” Updated October 14, 2026. https://americansupportanimals.com/resources/assistance-animal-statistics
For a specific figure, link directly to its stable section, such as adult disability prevalence.