This Is the Most Termite-Infested City in America

Roaches, bedbugs and even ticks are finding their way into homes across America—and termites are making a name for themselves, too. In fact, pest and termite control company Orkin published a 2023 report based on surprising service data of first-time customer termite treatments in the United States.

“On the heels of Termite Awareness Week (March 5-11),” the report states, “people seeking to buy or sell a home should consider termites a top point of inspection,” due to the home damage they can easily cause.

The report goes on to identify 50 cities around the country where residents should be on high alert for termites. Read on to find out which city has the most termite-infested homes, as well as the rest of the cities who make the top 50 list.

What U.S. city is the most termite-infested?

Miami, Florida holds the top spot for the city with the most termite infestations. The city has made a comeback as the most termite-infested city after Los Angeles took the top spot in 2022.

However, Los Angeles still clinched a spot in the top three, as the second most termite-infested city. Tampa, Florida takes the third spot.

“Miami, Los Angeles and Tampa experienced the right mixture of temperature and precipitation this winter that has created an ideal condition for termites to survive this winter,” Frank Meek, technical manager of Orkin, says.

What are the top 50 most termite-infested cities in America?

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The other most-infested cities are Washington, D.C.; Raleigh; Atlanta; Norfolk and San Francisco. In fact, these are the top 50 most termite-infested American cities:

1. Miami
2. Los Angeles
3. Tampa
4. Washington D.C.
5. Raleigh
6. Atlanta
7. Norfolk
8. San Francisco
9. New York
10. Orlando
11. San Diego
12. Richmond
13. Chicago
14. New Orleans
15. West Palm Beach
16. Philadelphia
17. Baltimore
18. Charlotte
19. Dallas
20. Greenville, SC
21. Nashville
22. Phoenix
23. Houston
24. Indianapolis
25. Detroit
26. Charleston, SC
27. Myrtle Beach
28. Charles-Huntington, WV
29. Cincinnati
30. Knoxville
31. St. Louis
32. Pittsburgh
33. Augusta
34. Columbia, SC
35. Memphis
36. Greensboro
37. Kansas City
38. Jacksonville
39. Champaign, IL
40. Savannah
41. San Antonio
42. Baton Rouge
43. Mobile, AL
44. Greenville, NC
45. South Bend
46. Tulsa
47. Austin
48. Paducah, KY
49. Ft. Myers
50. Chattanooga

While most of these cities are located in warmer climates, some are in colder, more metropolitan areas. Termites like warm, dark places, and moist soil, according to Terminix. On the other hand, according to Orkin, termites can and do remain active during the colder months, especially if they’ve already nested within a warm home.

So it’s no surprise that more than 600,000 homes in the United States deal with termite infestations each year, Terminix reports. In total, termites cost $5 billion in damage for Americans yearly, according to Orkin.

What should I know about termites?

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According to Orkin, there are more than 2,000 species of termites in the world, and more than 40 species are found in the United States. However, these are the two main types of termites to know: subterranean termites and drywood termites.

The subterranean variety lives underground and reportedly causes the most damage, the CDC warns. Drywood termites don’t require moisture from soil and colonize above ground instead. This variety can be more difficult to treat than other types because their infestation sites are trickier to locate, per Terminix.

How do I protect my house from termites?

To protect your home, the National Pest Management Association recommends limiting any moisture around the house, repairing leaky faucets, and replacing any loose mortar around your basement foundation. If you’re already seeing signs of them around your home, try out some termite killer spray. And, to ensure that you’re prepared, check out the sneaky signs your home is about to be infested.

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Sources:

• CDC: “Disease Vectors and Pests”
• Orkin: “Termites Find a Vacation Home in South Beach: Miami Moves into the #1 Spot on Orkin’s Termite Cities List”
• Orkin: “Termites in Winter”
• Pest World: “Top 10 Termite Prevention Tips”
• Realtor.com: “Do You Live in One of the Top Termite Cities in the U.S.?”
• Terminix: “How to Get Rid of Termites”
• Terminix: “What Causes Termites?”