How Much Does Pest Control Cost Americans Each Year? The Answer is Shocking

Looking at the issue of pest control objectively, it seems easy to decide that benefits outweigh costs, or do they?

When considering pest control cost, you should consider all aspects from the price of exterminators to the price of chemicals. These costs must be put up against the costs of not having pest control, such as decreased property value.

It’s a complex issue, but we’ll give you a breakdown to help you draw your own conclusion.

This should help you decide what’s best for you in your circumstances.

Average Pest Control Cost

The pest control industry made $16 billion this year alone in revenue.

The national average per person for pest control services is somewhere around $125 to $200.

The price depends on many factors, including property size, amount of visits, and pests at hand. Plus, the price varies from place to place and tends to increase when there haven’t been any pest control services in a while.

Therefore, it’s difficult to find accurate numbers reflecting the cost of pest control.  Annual revenue is our best indicator.

Still, $16 billion is a lot of money for Americans to fork up each year (and the industry is projected to continue growing). And this isn’t even taking agricultural pest control into consideration.

Why is this such a high-spending area?

The Benefit of Pest Control Versus the Cost

People spend so much money on pests to protect their livelihoods and assets.

Infestations can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. This includes termites destroying structures and rodents annually destroying enough food to feed 200 million people.

They can also spread illnesses and parasites, leading to high medical costs.

Some people would say that the actual cost of pest control outweighs the potential costs of not doing it. Others would disagree, considering non-financial costs.

Non-financial Burdens of Pest Control

Something to consider in this conversation is the cost of pest control that uses inorganic, synthetic chemicals.

These pesticides often leach into groundwater, runoff into streams, and drift as a vapor into unintended areas. The result is harmed ecosystems, contaminated water, and possible human ingestion.

These resources are hard to quantify in financial terms but are still essential to consider.

Human ingestion of pesticides has been shown to cause serious illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and death. Do these costs outweigh the costs of losing property or products? It’s hard to say.

Best Case Scenario

To decrease all possible costs, people should do everything they can by following pest prevention tips. These include keeping a clean living or work area and maintaining the yard and house through physical labor.

If pesticides must be used, consider organic products that reduce the costs of pollution or harm to the ecosystem and people’s health.

Think of the Big Picture

Assessing the country’s average pest control cost isn’t an easy thing.

There are financial, health, and environment aspects to consider. This makes the issue complex and challenging to put a number on.

Do your part in reducing costs by thinking over all options and enacting preventative measures. This will keep your property and our world a better, safer place.

Keep reading our blog for more property information.