Most people will tell you, with very little prompting, whether they’re dog people or cat people. What they don’t mention, and probably never think about, is whether where they live has any relationship to their preference. That’s right, thanks to a recent BuzzFeed article, we know there are dog states and cat states. Which made us wonder, which states are richer, states that believe dog is man’s best friend, or states that worship felines?
In the map, below, you can see how your state fared, both in terms of furry companion of choice and median pay.
For the record, the ten richest states and their median incomes were:
1. Massachusetts: Median Pay $58,500, Cat
2. Connecticut: Median Pay $57,300, Cat
3. New York: Median Pay $56,800, Cat
4. New Jersey: Median Pay $55,300, Cat
5. Washington: Median Pay $54,800, Cat
6. Colorado: Median Pay $53,400, Dog
7. Maryland: Median Pay $53,100, Cat
8. Texas: Median Pay $52,200, Dog
9. Delaware: Median Pay $51,000, Cat
10. Minnesota: Median Pay $50,800, Cat
The average income of all cat states was $50,827; the average income of all dog states was $44,868. But lest you come to the conclusion that cats attract riches, we should point out that many of the top cat-states — Massachusetts and New York, especially — have relatively high costs of living, leaving their residents less money to spend on fancy cat food designed to be eaten out of crystal champagne glasses. It’s also possible that folks who live in these places have less living space, making cats a better choice.
Any way you slice the data, one thing remains totally clear: pet owners don’t care whether the rest of their states prefer cats or dogs. They know in their hearts that the love their fur people give them is worth more than any raise.
Tell Us What You Think
Are you a dog person or a cat person, and do you think your critter of choice says something about you? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.
(Photo Credit: albertoabouganem/Flickr)
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