U.S. structural pest control market nears $12 billion

The U.S. structural pest control industry generated total service revenue of $11.723 billion, a 6.2 percent increase from the $11.042 billion measured in 2022, according to the latest market report, A Strategic Analysis of the U.S. Structural Pest Control Industry from Jacksonville, Fla.-based Specialty Consultants.

There were nearly 17,500 pest control firms operating in the U.S. this past year, two-thirds of which operate from a single location.

“Respondents reported an average of 5.9 service calls per residential account,” Rich Kalik, partner of Specialty Consultants, said in the news release. “Following robust service charge increases in 2022, the average residential service charge increased by less than one percent this past year.”

Service revenue derived from controlling cockroaches edged out the revenue from controlling nuisance ants for the second year in a row. However, the revenue from controlling all ants (i.e., nuisance, carpenter ants, and fire ants) increased 7.8 percent and totaled nearly one-quarter of the total industry revenue.

“Revenue generated from controlling bed bugs increased more than 10 percent following the decline experienced in 2021,” Kalik said.

More than 12.6 million residential customers received a professional pest control service this past year. Recurring revenue accounted for 85.9 percent of the residential pest control service revenue generated this past year, essentially unchanged from the 85.8 percent measured in 2022.  The commercial segment continued to expand with an 8.2 percent increase in service revenue this past year.

“It’s interesting to note that the frequency of service calls to commercial accounts has been trending higher over the past five to six years,” Kalik said. “After the commercial sector declined three years ago for only the second time in 23 years of measurement due to the pandemic, growth rates have rebounded with 6.7 percent growth in 2021, 5.7 percent in 2022, and 8.2 percent this past year. For 2024, we project the commercial market segment to increase by 4.7 percent.”

The 2023 season market report is the 24th edition of A Strategic Analysis of the U.S. Structural Pest Control Industry.  A total of 800 owners or managers of pest control companies were surveyed for this study.  More than half of the respondents to this year’s survey were members of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), and more than 60 percent were members of their state or local association. The syndicated market report is available for purchase only by subscription, sold in its entirety.