The Most Cockroach-Infested Cities in America

Some cities sparkle with nightlife and neon; others hum quietly under the weight of humidity and heat. Then there are places where something else thrives after dark — creatures that scuttle in the walls, swarm under sinks, and scatter when the lights come on. Across the United States, cockroach infestations have become more than a household nuisance; they’re a mirror of how weather, housing, and urban neglect collide.

Recent data from the American Housing Survey and pest-control firms shows that roaches have claimed their own capitals. From Houston to Oklahoma City, they follow moisture, warmth, and crumbs with equal precision.

Houston, Texas: The Epicenter

In Houston, everything feels oversized — freeways, storms, and the roach problem. Nearly 37 percent of households reported sightings in 2023, the highest rate in the nation. The city’s subtropical humidity and aging infrastructure form a perfect habitat. Older neighborhoods near the bayous struggle most, where water damage and clogged drains invite the pests.

Local exterminators say that 2025 has been one of their busiest years since Hurricane Harvey. Leaky pipes, long summers, and mild winters keep the population steady. For many Houstonians, roaches are as familiar as mosquitoes — part of daily life in a city that rarely cools off enough to kill them.

San Antonio, Texas

Just a few hours west, San Antonio’s Spanish missions and stone courtyards hide a more recent invader. Roughly 28 percent of homes reported infestations last year. The city’s limestone foundations trap moisture, and historic architecture leaves cracks that modern sealants can’t reach.

Roaches here are opportunists — slipping through drain lines and feeding off the city’s restaurant-dense downtown. Pest-control professionals link the rise to heavier rains and a boom in urban construction that disturbed underground nests. For many residents, the challenge is constant: protect the old charm without inviting the old pests back in.

Tampa, Florida

Tampa’s year-round warmth doesn’t just attract tourists. It also fuels one of the highest cockroach counts in the Southeast, with about a quarter of households affected. The species mix is diverse — from American roaches that fill sewers to the smaller German roaches that overrun kitchens.

Local entomologists say Tampa’s biggest enemy is water. Afternoon storms and clogged gutters create perfect breeding spots, and the city’s high humidity keeps them alive through winter. Pest-control companies have learned to schedule double shifts in late summer — peak swarm season.

Phoenix, Arizona

It’s easy to assume the desert heat would wipe roaches out, but Phoenix proves otherwise. Roughly 23 percent of households reported sightings in 2023. The dry climate drives the insects indoors in search of moisture, and irrigation systems for lawns and golf courses create lush, wet microclimates where they thrive.

In older neighborhoods built before modern plumbing codes, water leaks beneath slab foundations sustain colonies year-round. Residents describe stepping outside after sundown and seeing the pavement shimmer with movement near drains. For pest experts, the desert’s biggest irony is clear: too much artificial water in a place built to be dry.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Under the glow of casino lights, Las Vegas hides its share of six-legged residents. About 21 percent of households encounter them annually. Hotels and apartment complexes along the Strip are under constant maintenance contracts to keep infestations in check.

Experts say the city’s problem lies underground — in sewers kept warm by constant use and in resort kitchens that run twenty-four hours a day. Waste heat and food scraps form a perfect ecosystem. The transient workforce and year-round tourism mean infestations travel easily between properties. Roach control here is as relentless as the nightlife itself.

Miami, Florida

Miami’s postcard image of palm trees and Art Deco colors conceals one of the country’s longest-running cockroach battles. Around 20 percent of homes experience infestations each year, but pest firms say that number underestimates the real scope.

The tropical humidity and frequent rainstorms keep populations steady. Older buildings along Biscayne Bay are especially vulnerable, with seawater corrosion opening cracks where pests slip in. Miami’s rise in short-term rentals has also spread infestations more quickly between properties. Each turnover becomes a new opportunity for hitchhiking insects.

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta’s booming skyline and sprawling suburbs haven’t escaped the South’s oldest urban pest. Roughly 18 percent of households report roaches, a figure that pest specialists attribute to heavy tree cover, moisture, and long summers.

The mix of dense apartment living and suburban sprawl creates endless hiding places. Construction growth around downtown has disturbed nests, pushing infestations into nearby neighborhoods. In low-lying parts of the city, storm runoff and cracked foundations make basements ideal breeding grounds.

Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham’s roach problem reflects its history. Many homes date back to the early twentieth century, built long before modern insulation or sealed piping. Around 17 percent of households see infestations each year, often recurring in the same blocks.

High summer humidity and frequent rainfall make the city’s red-clay soil a moisture trap. Pest-control workers note that older public-housing units are hardest hit, where patchwork maintenance can’t keep up with plumbing leaks and porous brick walls. Even renovated homes fight recurring invasions through century-old floorboards.

Dallas, Texas

Dallas may appear cleaner and drier than its Gulf-coast neighbors, but cockroaches still find plenty to like. About 16 percent of residents report them annually. The city’s expansive suburbs rely heavily on irrigation, creating lush yards and cool crawlspaces.

Recent drought cycles followed by flash floods have worsened the problem. As soil shifts and cracks, roaches move up from storm drains into homes. Local pest companies say service requests spike after major rain events, when colonies are literally flushed indoors.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Rounding out the top ten, Oklahoma City sits on the edge of the humid South and the dry Plains — a crossroads that has recently seen a sharp rise in infestations. About 15 percent of homes reported cockroaches in 2023.

Experts blame fluctuating weather: heavy spring rains followed by long, hot summers. Older downtown buildings and newer tract housing both show issues with drainage. As climate swings become more erratic, pest populations rebound faster each year. Roaches that once died off during winter now find warmth in modern insulation and heated basements.

The Shifting Map

While the South still claims the worst infestations, northern cities such as Cleveland and Seattle are now appearing on national risk lists. Warmer winters and rising humidity extend breeding seasons, allowing roaches to migrate farther north than before. Pest Gnome’s 2024 index warns that the country’s “roach belt” could soon stretch from Texas to the Great Lakes.

Entomologists note that these insects are evolving to survive new environments — some species now tolerate cooler temperatures and synthetic pesticides once thought lethal.

A National Wake-Up Call

The story of America’s roach capitals isn’t just about insects; it’s about housing, climate, and urban neglect. Older plumbing, leaky roofs, and cheap construction give pests easy access, while warmer nights erase the natural limits that once kept them in check.

Public-health experts estimate that infestations cost homeowners hundreds of millions each year in cleanup and lost property value. Beyond money, there’s a hidden toll: allergies, asthma, and the simple stress of living with something that refuses to die.

For now, the nation’s most roach-ridden metros remain Houston, San Antonio, and Tampa. But the insects are on the move. As the country heats up, the line between “roach country” and everywhere else keeps shifting north.

And once they arrive, as pest technicians like to say, they check in — but they never really check out.

Read the original article on Crafting Your Home