If you live in the Chicago area and are dreading the start of mosquito season, you won’t be surprised to know the city is one of America’s worst for the buzzing pests.
According to a new ranking released by Orkin in recent days, Chicago remains one of the worst cities in the country for mosquitoes, with residents driven positively batty by the flying insects that can spread disease in addition to being a summer annoyance.
The ranking lists Chicago at No. 2 in the country, behind only Los Angeles, which again maintained its spot atop the list.
New York is number three on the list, followed by Detroit at No. 4 and Atlanta, the former king of the mosquito category, checking in at No. 5.
According to Orkin, the ranking was based on the number of new residential mosquito treatments performed by pest control employees over a one-year span from March 2025 to March 2026.
The Midwest is seeing a significant uptick in such treatments, with the Illinois capital of Springfield cracking the top-50 for the first time, according to Orkin.
Meanwhile Milwaukee soared up 15 spots to No. 23 on the list, while Minneapolis climbed to No. 13 and St. Louis to No. 32, according to officials.
“Over the past decade, we’ve seen mosquito activity expand beyond traditional hotspots and become a nationwide concern,” said Shannon Sked, Orkin entomologist. “While major cities continue to experience consistent pressure, emerging trends—especially in the Midwest—show how shifting climate conditions and the expanding range of the yellow fever mosquito are creating new hotspots across the country.”
