For the third year in a row, Los Angeles edged out all other cities to land the #1 spot on Orkin’s Top 50 Mosquito Cities List. Holding strong for the second consecutive year at number two and three are Chicago and New York, respectively. Atlanta moved up one spot to secure the number four ranking while Dallas/Fort Worth jumped one spot to number five.
Charlotte (#10) jumped eight spots, landing a Top 10 ranking for the first time. Memphis saw the largest jump this year, moving up 15 spots to number 31. Joining the list this year are Oklahoma City, Austin, Spokane (Washington), Bakersfield (CA) and Fresno (CA).
As the weather begins to warm and people venture outdoors for activities and summer gatherings, mosquitoes seek to enjoy the weather, too. Mosquitoes thrive in warm temperatures and after rainfall can lay their eggs in low-lying pools and reproduce rapidly, changing from larva to adult stage in as little as several days to a couple of weeks.
The list is based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most mosquito control services from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. The list includes both residential and commercial mosquito treatments.
1. Los Angeles
2. Chicago
3. New York
4. Atlanta (+1)
5. Dallas/Ft. Worth (+1)
6. Washington, DC (-2)
7. Philadelphia (+3)
8. Detroit (-1)
9. Houston (+3)
10. Charlotte (+8)
11. Raleigh-Durham (+6)
12. Tampa (-1)
13. Miami (-4)
14. Orlando (+2)
15. Denver
16. San Francisco (-8)
17. Seattle (+3)
18. Cleveland, OH (-5)
19. Baltimore (-5)
20. Indianapolis (-1)
21. Minneapolis (+2)
22. Phoenix, AZ (+8)
23. Grand Rapids (+5)
24. Nashville (+1)
25. Norfolk, VA (+1)
26. Greenville, SC (-2)
27. Columbus, OH (-6)
28. Oklahoma City (New to List)
29. St. Louis (-7)
30. Richmond (-1)
31. Memphis (+15)
32. Milwaukee (+6)
33. Boston (+1)
34. Kansas City, KS & MO (-2)
35. Flint (+7)
36. Sacramento (+1)
37. Pittsburgh (-6)
38. San Diego (-5)
39. San Antonio (-4)
40. Tulsa (+5)
41. New Orleans (-1)
42. Cincinnati (-15)
43. Knoxville (-4)
44. Myrtle Beach (+4)
45. West Palm Beach (-9)
46. Austin (New To List)
47. Greensboro, NC (-3)
48. Spokane (New to List)
49. Bakersfield, CA (New to List)
50. Fresno (New to List)
More than 200 types of mosquitoes live in the continental U.S. and its territories. They typically become active when temperatures are above 68 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, and breeding season can start as early as May and last through September, with some regions seeing mosquitoes year round.
Mosquitoes are one of the world’s greatest public health threats. They carry vector-borne diseases such as West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Zika, dangers that apply to both humans and pets. Orkin is committed to educating the public on the risks associated with these blood-sucking pests, and more importantly, reducing the number of mosquitos from yards across the country.
For the third year in a row, Los Angeles edged out all other cities to land the #1 spot on Orkin’s Top 50 Mosquito Cities List. Holding strong for the second consecutive year at number two and three are Chicago and New York, respectively. Atlanta moved up one spot to secure the number four ranking while Dallas/Fort Worth jumped one spot to number five.