Cities That Shouldn’t BUG You

Nature is inescapable. No matter how deep in the city your house or apartment is, you’re bound to come across a few creepy-crawlies in your daily life. From mosquitoes and bedbugs to ladybugs and butterflies, there’s a lot of bugs, and a lot of reasons to check out the situation before moving in.

While a roach infestation is one thing, a few house centipedes can be another. (Fun fact: house centipedes actually balance out the ecosystem of your home by eating silverfish and other harmful bugs.)

It’s a rule of thumb that southern states are more likely to experience bug problems, and humid states are even more prone. From mosquitoes and flies to wasps and roaches, many bugs can be a handful to get rid of. On the other side, northern cities tend to have more trouble with mice and rats, so it’s important to keep a good perspective when you’re choosing a place to live.

In case you or someone in your household is a little bit arachnophobic, here’s a handy list of some of the buggiest places in America, and some of the least insect-populated ones.

Bug population, listed from highest to lowest:

• Phoenix, Arizona. The heat must encourage these pesky little creatures, because Phoenix has a high number of bugs, and the request level for pest-removal is extraordinarily high here.
• San Antonio, Texas. No surprise here, Texas was listed as one of the buggiest states, alongside Florida and Louisiana. Something about the humidity, maybe.
• Kansas City, Missouri. Despite the chilly winter, real estate in Kansas City, MO showed a high number of pest-removal requests yearly.
• Dallas, Austin, and Houston, Texas. These three cities tied within the rankings for high insect population, so here’s a suggestion to any big-haters: enter at your own risk!
• Fayetteville, North Carolina. Last but not least, Fayetteville shows a large amount of bugs and critters alike.

And here’s where the numbers start going down:

• Grand Rapids, Michigan. The second largest city in Michigan, Grand Rapids shows an oddly low number of bug-related cases.
• Spokane, Washington. The cold keeps the crawlies away, apparently, because real estate in Spokane, WA, had a near record-setting low number of pest-removal calls.
• Salinas, Santa Cruz, and Fresno, California. Unlike Texas, California seems to be doing extremely well in the bug department. Few bugs to be found here!
• El Paso, Texas. A surprising last-minute addition to this list, but El Paso currently holds the record for the least amount of bug-related calls.

While many bugs are considered ‘pests’ by the general population, this list also includes common bugs that pose no harm to a household. Keep in mind that not all six-legged (or more) critters are out to hurt you, and it may be an easier decision to move into a ‘buggy’ city if you really like the neighborhood and home.

Preventative measures are also available, so if you’re paranoid about a bug problem arising, make sure to place traps and stop any issues before they get of hand. This can be useful when handling smaller bugs such as bedbugs, lice, or fleas.

All in all, bugs are a normal part of life, but you can make your life easier by avoiding them or preventing infestations.