Pest Control Services NAICS 561710

Nov 24, 2025 - Los Angeles Overtakes Chicago as Top "Rattiest" City: Orkin

• Los Angeles has overtaken Chicago as the nation’s “rattiest city,” a shift that signals rising demand for pest control services across urban markets, according to an Orkin report in Pest Control Technology. Orkin’s 2025 Top 50 Rattiest Cities list crowned Los Angeles No. 1 for the first time, ending Chicago’s decade long reign. The rankings, based on new rodent service requests from August 2024 to August 2025, highlight shifting infestation patterns driven by urban density, year round warm weather, and expanding food access points. Chicago ranks second, followed by New York City, and San Francisco. 4. California is notably overrepresented, with four cities in the top 10. For pest control providers, the trend underscores rising service volumes and the need for proactive prevention strategies. For pest service providers, the shake up highlights expanding service volumes and the need for proactive prevention strategies as infestations pose risks ranging from structural damage to disease transmission.
• Softening consumer sentiment and confidence in November and October 2025 signals potential headwinds for spending. The University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment dropped 6.2% month-over-month in November's preliminary results to 50.3, a 29.9% year-over-year decline. The Current Economic Conditions Index fell to 52.3, and the Expectations Index to 49, down 36.3% annually. Year-ahead inflation expectations rose to 4.7%, while long-run expectations declined to 3.6%, with increased uncertainty across both horizons. Meanwhile, the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged down to 94.6 from 95.6 in October, as improved current conditions (Present Situation Index up to 129.3) were offset by weaker short-term expectations (Expectations Index down to 71.5). Inflation expectations rose to 5.9%, and over half of consumers anticipated higher interest rates. Holiday spending is projected to fall, with promotions driving purchasing decisions.

• The US William Blair/PCO M&A Specialists Pest Index increased 14% in September 2025 year over year, according to Pest Management Professional. September’s increase is higher than the long-term average index growth rate of 10%. Once adjusted for one more workday in September, the index rose about 9% year over year. Segments with the highest year-over-year growth in September 2025 were residential pest (17%), termite (13%), commercial pest (8%), and bed bug (7%), while the mosquito segment declined 14%. The pest index is a proprietary index of the monthly sales for approximately 150 US pest control firms, focused on residential, commercial, and termite markets.
• California, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, and New York led the list of Terminix’s Most Tick-Infested US States, according to a report in Pest Control Technology. The company developed the list using proprietary pest management data, identifying the regions with the greatest tick pressure and risk of tick-borne illness. The top-ranking regions were at risk due to their warm climates, high humidity, and abundance of green space. Rounding out the top 10 were Georgia, New Jersey, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Ohio. The region with the highest population of ticks is the Northeastern US. According to Terminix’s Tom Dobrinska, “This isn't just a nuisance; tick activity is reaching new levels across the country, posing a serious and growing public health threat. Climate change continues to increase tick populations. As winters become milder and warm seasons increase in length, tick survival and risk for human exposure increase significantly."