Orkin releases Top 50 Termite Cities list

PHOTO: ORKIN

Orkin released its first-ever Top 50 Termite Cities list. Miami, Fla., tops the list, followed by Los Angeles, Calif., in second place. Tampa, Fla.; New York, N.Y.; and New Orleans, La., round out the Top 5, respectively.

The list is based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most first-time customer termite treatments from Feb. 1, 2018 to Jan. 31, 2019. The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.

1. Miami, Fla.
2. Los Angeles, Calif.
3. Tampa, Fla.
4. New York, N.Y.
5. New Orleans, La.
6. Atlanta, Ga.
7. Washington, D.C.
8. West Palm Beach, Fla.
9. San Francisco, Calif.
10. Dallas, Texas
11. San Diego, Calif.
12. Orlando, Fla.
13. Phoenix, Ariz.
14. Houston, Texas
15. Raleigh, N.C.
16. Philadelphia, Pa.
17. Baltimore, Md.
18. Nashville, Tenn.
19. Chicago, Ill.
20. Charlotte, N.C.
21. Ft. Myers, Fla.
22. Norfolk, Va.
23. Knoxville, Tenn.
24. Greenville, S.C.
25. Charleston, W. Va.
26. Mobile, Ala.
27. Indianapolis, Ind.
28. Cincinnati, Ohio
29. Pittsburgh, Pa.
30. Kansas City, Kan.
31. Richmond, Va.
32. Honolulu, Hawaii
33. St. Louis, Mo.
34. Oklahoma City, Okla.
35. Tulsa, Okla.
36. Denver, Colo.
37. Columbia, S.C.
38. Jacksonville, Fla.
39. Lexington, Ky.
40. San Antonio, Texas
41. Chattanooga, Tenn.
42. Columbus, Ohio
43. Grand Rapids, Mich.
44. Boston, Mass.
45. Charleston, S.C.
46. Baton Rouge, La.
47. Louisville, Ky.
48. Savannah, Ga.
49. Roanoke, Va.
50. Champaign, Ill.

According to the Rollins release, all areas of the United States are prone to subterranean termites with concentrations from slight to very heavy. The Pacific region and coastal regions of the Southeast have an additional threat of drywood termites. Most species of subterranean termites swarm in the spring and summer, a time when homeowners are more likely to notice signs of an infestation. Drywood termites typically swarm during the late summer or fall months, from August through November.

“Often called the ‘silent destroyer,’ termites can secretly hide and thrive in your home, property or yard without any immediate signs of damage for years,” says Glen Ramsey, an Orkin entomologist. “U.S. residents spend an estimated $5 billion annually to control termites and repair termite damage – which occurs in approximately 600,000 homes each year.”