Saturation ranking
Where pest control services is most and least saturated in California
Every California market with sourced Pest Control data, ranked on how much provision it already has. Counties are measured per 10,000 residents. Cities are measured as a share of the businesses in the same ZIP codes, because a city’s establishment counts cover its ZIP codes rather than its city limits and cannot be divided by its municipal population. Neither measure says anything about revenue or profitability, and a crowded market is not automatically a bad one: it is also where the most businesses come up for sale.
- Statewide establishments
- 1,984
- 2023 County Business Patterns
- State median density
- 0.5
- Per 10,000 residents, counties
- Counties ranked
- 38
- of 42 with data
- Cities ranked
- 93
- of 159 with data
Most saturated counties for pest control
38 of 42 counties with sourced data qualify for this ranking. Markets with fewer than 5 establishments are excluded at both levels, because a single opening or closing would move them enough to dominate the list. Counties under 2,000 residents are also excluded, where a per-capita figure is arithmetically true and analytically useless.
| # | County | Establishments | Per 10k | Vs state median | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuolumne County53,160 residents | 10 | 1.9 | +272% | Densely served |
| 2 | Madera County167,927 residents | 19 | 1.1 | +124% | Densely served |
| 3 | Butte County209,211 residents | 23 | 1.1 | +117% | Densely served |
| 4 | Lake County67,772 residents | 7 | 1.0 | +104% | Densely served |
| 5 | Sutter County98,787 residents | 9 | 0.9 | +80% | Densely served |
| 6 | Ventura County830,851 residents | 74 | 0.9 | +76% | Densely served |
| 7 | Shasta County181,648 residents | 15 | 0.8 | +63% | Densely served |
| 8 | Nevada County101,911 residents | 8 | 0.8 | +55% | Densely served |
| 9 | San Luis Obispo County282,367 residents | 22 | 0.8 | +54% | Densely served |
| 10 | San Benito County70,082 residents | 5 | 0.7 | +41% | Above average |
| 11 | Riverside County2,544,916 residents | 178 | 0.7 | +38% | Above average |
| 12 | Kern County927,068 residents | 64 | 0.7 | +36% | Above average |
| 13 | Fresno County1,035,456 residents | 71 | 0.7 | +35% | Above average |
| 14 | Sonoma County486,444 residents | 32 | 0.7 | +30% | Above average |
| 15 | Placer County442,081 residents | 28 | 0.6 | +25% | Above average |
State median for this industry: 0.5 establishments per 10,000 residents. A high figure means more provision per resident, not more demand.
Least saturated counties for pest control
The same 38 counties, read from the bottom of the ordering upward. Thin provision is worth checking against the neighbouring counties before treating it as an opening.
| # | County | Establishments | Per 10k | Vs state median | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco County826,079 residents | 12 | 0.1 | -71% | Thinly served |
| 2 | Alameda County1,636,630 residents | 43 | 0.3 | -48% | Thinly served |
| 3 | Santa Cruz County258,852 residents | 7 | 0.3 | -47% | Thinly served |
| 4 | Yolo County224,410 residents | 7 | 0.3 | -38% | Below average |
| 5 | Santa Clara County1,914,391 residents | 63 | 0.3 | -35% | Below average |
| 6 | Imperial County181,411 residents | 6 | 0.3 | -35% | Below average |
| 7 | Marin County253,694 residents | 10 | 0.4 | -22% | Below average |
| 8 | San Mateo County743,568 residents | 30 | 0.4 | -20% | Below average |
| 9 | San Joaquin County823,815 residents | 35 | 0.4 | -16% | Below average |
| 10 | Monterey County433,729 residents | 19 | 0.4 | -13% | Typical |
| 11 | Solano County455,376 residents | 20 | 0.4 | -13% | Typical |
| 12 | Contra Costa County1,170,070 residents | 52 | 0.4 | -12% | Typical |
| 13 | Los Angeles County9,694,934 residents | 435 | 0.4 | -11% | Typical |
| 14 | Humboldt County131,647 residents | 6 | 0.5 | -10% | Typical |
| 15 | San Bernardino County2,224,091 residents | 102 | 0.5 | -9% | Typical |
State median for this industry: 0.5 establishments per 10,000 residents. A low figure can mean a genuine gap, or a market served from the next county over.
Most saturated cities for pest control
93 of 159 cities with sourced data qualify for this ranking. Markets with fewer than 5 establishments are excluded at both levels, because a single opening or closing would move them enough to dominate the list. Cities with fewer than 500 businesses in total are also excluded, because on a base that small the industry’s share moves on rounding.
| # | City | Establishments | Share of local | Vs state share | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SonoraTuolumne, 818 businesses in total | 9 | 1.10% | +738% | Densely served |
| 2 | MaderaMadera, 1,525 businesses in total | 14 | 0.92% | +599% | Densely served |
| 3 | Yucca ValleySan Bernardino, 550 businesses in total | 5 | 0.91% | +593% | Densely served |
| 4 | Cathedral CityRiverside, 914 businesses in total | 8 | 0.88% | +567% | Densely served |
| 5 | BellflowerLos Angeles, 1,195 businesses in total | 8 | 0.67% | +410% | Densely served |
| 6 | AtascaderoSan Luis Obispo, 918 businesses in total | 6 | 0.65% | +398% | Densely served |
| 7 | South GateLos Angeles, 1,109 businesses in total | 7 | 0.63% | +381% | Densely served |
| 8 | VisaliaTulare, 3,364 businesses in total | 21 | 0.62% | +376% | Densely served |
| 9 | ParamountLos Angeles, 1,146 businesses in total | 7 | 0.61% | +365% | Densely served |
| 10 | MercedMerced, 1,653 businesses in total | 10 | 0.60% | +361% | Densely served |
| 11 | LincolnPlacer, 871 businesses in total | 5 | 0.57% | +337% | Densely served |
| 12 | San DimasLos Angeles, 1,274 businesses in total | 7 | 0.55% | +319% | Densely served |
| 13 | Apple ValleySan Bernardino, 1,125 businesses in total | 6 | 0.53% | +306% | Densely served |
| 14 | VictorvilleSan Bernardino, 1,929 businesses in total | 10 | 0.52% | +295% | Densely served |
| 15 | MurrietaRiverside, 3,203 businesses in total | 16 | 0.50% | +281% | Densely served |
| 16 | BrentwoodContra Costa, 1,414 businesses in total | 7 | 0.50% | +277% | Densely served |
| 17 | HollisterSan Benito, 1,025 businesses in total | 5 | 0.49% | +272% | Densely served |
| 18 | LancasterLos Angeles, 2,565 businesses in total | 12 | 0.47% | +256% | Densely served |
| 19 | ClovisFresno, 2,785 businesses in total | 13 | 0.47% | +256% | Densely served |
| 20 | IndioRiverside, 1,728 businesses in total | 8 | 0.46% | +253% | Densely served |
| 21 | NorwalkLos Angeles, 1,312 businesses in total | 6 | 0.46% | +248% | Densely served |
| 22 | MonroviaLos Angeles, 1,318 businesses in total | 6 | 0.46% | +247% | Densely served |
| 23 | AntiochContra Costa, 1,538 businesses in total | 7 | 0.46% | +247% | Densely served |
| 24 | OxnardVentura, 3,760 businesses in total | 17 | 0.45% | +244% | Densely served |
| 25 | BakersfieldKern, 10,791 businesses in total | 48 | 0.44% | +239% | Densely served |
Statewide, 0.13% of California businesses are in this industry. A higher local share means the industry takes up more of the local business base than it does statewide.
City figures are aggregated over the ZIP codes the Postal Service assigns to each place, which do not follow municipal boundaries. That is why the comparison here is a share of the businesses in those same ZIP codes rather than a figure per resident: both sides then cover the same ground, so a city that loses establishments to a separately named ZIP loses its denominator with them.
Most underserved cities for pest control
The bottom of the same ordering. These are the California cities carrying the least pest control provision per resident among those that clear both floors.
| # | City | Establishments | Share of local | Vs state share | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San FranciscoSan Francisco, 33,575 businesses in total | 6 | 0.02% | -86% | Thinly served |
| 2 | IrvineOrange, 14,947 businesses in total | 6 | 0.04% | -69% | Thinly served |
| 3 | Los AngelesLos Angeles, 77,828 businesses in total | 34 | 0.04% | -67% | Thinly served |
| 4 | San DiegoSan Diego, 42,106 businesses in total | 29 | 0.07% | -48% | Thinly served |
| 5 | Santa AnaOrange, 8,181 businesses in total | 6 | 0.07% | -44% | Thinly served |
| 6 | Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, 5,868 businesses in total | 5 | 0.09% | -35% | Below average |
| 7 | SacramentoSacramento, 19,687 businesses in total | 18 | 0.09% | -30% | Below average |
| 8 | TorranceLos Angeles, 7,600 businesses in total | 8 | 0.11% | -20% | Below average |
| 9 | San JoseSanta Clara, 21,501 businesses in total | 23 | 0.11% | -19% | Below average |
| 10 | Costa MesaOrange, 5,397 businesses in total | 7 | 0.13% | -1% | Typical |
| 11 | OrangeOrange, 5,761 businesses in total | 8 | 0.14% | +6% | Typical |
| 12 | RosevillePlacer, 5,038 businesses in total | 7 | 0.14% | +6% | Typical |
| 13 | Long BeachLos Angeles, 9,885 businesses in total | 14 | 0.14% | +8% | Typical |
| 14 | Walnut CreekContra Costa, 4,012 businesses in total | 6 | 0.15% | +14% | Typical |
| 15 | Rancho CucamongaSan Bernardino, 5,340 businesses in total | 8 | 0.15% | +14% | Typical |
| 16 | HaywardAlameda, 4,289 businesses in total | 7 | 0.16% | +24% | Above average |
| 17 | Huntington BeachOrange, 6,263 businesses in total | 11 | 0.18% | +34% | Above average |
| 18 | PleasantonAlameda, 3,345 businesses in total | 6 | 0.18% | +37% | Above average |
| 19 | Chula VistaSan Diego, 4,885 businesses in total | 9 | 0.18% | +40% | Above average |
| 20 | Santa RosaSonoma, 6,121 businesses in total | 12 | 0.20% | +49% | Above average |
| 21 | WhittierLos Angeles, 3,060 businesses in total | 6 | 0.20% | +49% | Above average |
| 22 | ConcordContra Costa, 3,539 businesses in total | 7 | 0.20% | +51% | Densely served |
| 23 | SalinasMonterey, 3,451 businesses in total | 7 | 0.20% | +55% | Densely served |
| 24 | ChinoSan Bernardino, 3,295 businesses in total | 7 | 0.21% | +62% | Densely served |
| 25 | ModestoStanislaus, 5,412 businesses in total | 12 | 0.22% | +69% | Densely served |
Statewide, 0.13% of California businesses are in this industry. A lower local share can mean a genuine gap, or a market served from the next town over.
How to read these rankings
- Both measures are supply measures. They say nothing about how much each business earns, how large it is, or how much demand comes from outside the market.
- The two levels are not directly comparable to each other. A county figure is establishments per resident; a city figure is this industry’s share of the local business base against the statewide share. Compare counties to counties and cities to cities.
- A thinly served market can be a genuine gap or a market already served from a neighbouring town. The individual market pages list the nearest comparable places for exactly this check.
- A densely served market means competition, but it is also where the largest pool of existing businesses sits, and therefore where the most owners reach retirement each year.
- Counties are the more stable measure. City figures rest on ZIP code geography, which the Postal Service redraws as it pleases, so a city can gain or lose a ZIP between years.
Full pest control data for California/All industry rankings/Methodology
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 County Business Patterns. Establishment counts, employment and annual payroll by NAICS. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026Q1). Quarterly establishment counts and employment for employers covered by unemployment insurance. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ZIP Code Business Patterns. Establishment counts by ZIP code and NAICS, aggregated over the ZIP codes assigned to each city, including the all-industry totals used as the local business base. Retrieved 2026-09-10.