Which state has the most expensive vet care?

Among states with enough data, Washington has the highest typical vet bill at about $925, about 67% above the typical bill across our data (about $550).

Which state has the cheapest vet care?

Texas has the lowest typical vet bill at about $350, about 37% below the typical bill across our data.

Vet Costs by State (2026)

Q: Why do vet costs vary so much by state?

Local cost of living, commercial rent, staff wages, the mix of general practices versus specialty and emergency hospitals, and competition all push veterinary prices up or down by region.

The same care can cost up to 2.7x more depending on where you live. Below is each state's typical total vet bill from real invoices, set against the typical bill across our data (about $550): from about $925 in Washington down to about $350 in Texas.

Lower About the same (about $550) Higher Not enough data

Typical total vet bill by state, against the typical bill across our data (about $550)
#	State	Typical bill	Most bills	vs. all our data
1	Washington	$925	$500–$2,350	1.67x (+67%)
2	Ohio	$775	$450–$1,350	1.41x (+41%)
3	Tennessee	$700	$150–$1,175	1.25x (+25%)
4	California	$650	$250–$1,275	1.18x (+18%)
5	New Jersey	$650	$275–$1,025	1.17x (+17%)
6	Georgia	$650	$325–$1,000	1.17x (+17%)
7	Arizona	$575	$175–$1,050	1.03x (+3%)
8	New York	$550	$325–$1,200	1.00x (+0%)
9	Florida	$550	$275–$1,250	0.99x (-1%)
10	Virginia	$550	$225–$1,125	0.98x (-2%)
11	Maryland	$525	$300–$975	0.93x (-7%)
12	Illinois	$500	$275–$1,050	0.92x (-8%)
13	Massachusetts	$500	$300–$900	0.91x (-9%)
14	Connecticut	$500	$350–$1,150	0.89x (-11%)
15	Oregon	$450	$200–$700	0.80x (-20%)
16	Colorado	$425	$325–$700	0.76x (-24%)
17	Michigan	$425	$200–$800	0.75x (-25%)
18	Louisiana	$425	$150–$900	0.75x (-25%)
19	North Carolina	$425	$200–$650	0.74x (-26%)
20	Pennsylvania	$350	$225–$1,200	0.64x (-36%)
21	Texas	$350	$200–$775	0.63x (-37%)

How we calculate this

Each state's figure is the middle bill of all verified total vet bills uploaded by pet owners in that state (half were lower, half higher), divided by the same figure across all our data to give a cost multiplier. A state appears once it has enough verified invoices for a confident figure, so the list fills in over time. Counts are not shown to protect contributor privacy.

Why vet costs vary by state

Veterinary pricing tracks local cost of living, commercial rent, and wages, plus the local mix of general practices versus specialty and emergency hospitals. High-cost metros and regions with more specialty care push the typical bill up; rural and lower-cost-of-living states tend to sit below the figure across our data.