This Texas City Has the Most Cockroaches in the Country

Here’s a Top 10 list you don’t ever what to be on – much less be at the top of.

Cockroaches are among the grossest of the gross. Nobody wants them around, but they’ve proven themselves to be pretty damn resilient.

I’m not necessarily the easiest person to gross out, but there’s nothing to make my stomach churn like the sight of a cockroach – especially when I’m eating.

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And let’s face it – everything’s bigger in Texas, including cockroaches. According to research conducted by Texas A&M, the American cockroach is the most common here in the Lone Star State and those things can grow up to two inches long.

When it comes to cockroach sightings, Houston has it the worst in the country with 3,524 per 10,000 residents. Dallas also ranks high on the list, coming in at Number 6 with 1,870.70 cockroach sightings per 10,000 residents.

The warm, humid weather provides the perfect environment for those things to thrive. That’s why the majority of the top 10 cities for cockroaches are located in the south, according to Pest Strategies.

10 U.S. Cities with the Most Cockroach Sightings

1. Houston
2. New Orleans
3. Atlanta
4. Miami
5. Raleigh
6. Dallas
7. Memphis
8. Phoenix
9. Los Angeles
10. New York City

As you can see, larger populations don’t necessarily equal a higher number of cockroach sightings. New Orleans, Raleigh and Memphis all have populations of around 500,000 people, but average more sightings per 10,000 residents than New York and Los Angeles, the two biggest cities in the country.

Yes, it sucks to be on the list of cities with the most cockroach sightings in the United States. But having travelled to most of the cities on the list, I wouldn’t let that keep me from going back. I'll probably just make sure to have a fly swatter handy.