Where Owner-Operators Run Pest Control: Firm Size by State
84% of pest control establishments in Montana and South Dakota employ under five people; in Hawaii it is 37%. What the local competitive field looks like.
In Montana and South Dakota, 84.4% of pest control establishments employ fewer than five people. In Hawaii the figure is 37.3% and in North Carolina 42.6%. The typical state sits at 58.7%. Rural Mountain West states run on owner-operators; several Southeastern states run on larger branches averaging more than 11 employees each.
Pest control is described as a small-business industry, which is true nationally and misleading locally. How small depends heavily on the state, and it changes what a new operator is competing against.
Key findings
- Montana and South Dakota lead at 84.4% of establishments with fewer than five employees, followed by Wyoming at 77.3% and Alaska at 75.0%.
- Hawaii has the lowest share at 37.3%, with an average of 12.98 employees per establishment, the largest in the country.
- The Southeast runs larger branches. North Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, South Carolina, Virginia and Alabama all sit below 50%, with Georgia and Alabama averaging over 11 employees per establishment.
- The three biggest markets sit near the middle: Florida at 60.4%, California at 56.5% and Texas at 58.4%.
- Denser markets tend to run larger branches. The correlation between small-establishment share and establishments per 100,000 residents is -0.30.
Where owner-operators dominate
| State | Share of establishments under 5 employees | Establishments | Employees per establishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 84.4% | 45 | 2.69 |
| South Dakota | 84.4% | 32 | 3.69 |
| Wyoming | 77.3% | 22 | 3.05 |
| Alaska | 75.0% | 16 | 3.88 |
| Vermont | 73.7% | 19 | 4.95 |
| North Dakota | 73.3% | 15 | 2.47 |
| New Mexico | 70.6% | 109 | 4.63 |
| Idaho | 70.0% | 110 | 7.95 |
| New York | 69.7% | 788 | 6.10 |
| Utah | 69.3% | 212 | 7.09 |
Several of these states have small establishment counts, so the percentages move with only a handful of businesses. The pattern is still consistent: low-population, low-density states with long distances and short seasons.
Where larger branches dominate
| State | Share of establishments under 5 employees | Establishments | Employees per establishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 37.3% | 59 | 12.98 |
| North Carolina | 42.6% | 573 | 11.70 |
| Arkansas | 43.5% | 170 | 11.59 |
| Georgia | 44.3% | 723 | 11.52 |
| Delaware | 44.9% | 49 | 8.82 |
| South Carolina | 46.2% | 407 | 8.77 |
| Virginia | 47.7% | 426 | 10.39 |
| Alabama | 48.2% | 338 | 11.57 |
| Kentucky | 50.3% | 173 | 7.42 |
| Tennessee | 50.9% | 424 | 9.94 |
The Southeast combines high year-round pest pressure with large recurring residential books, which supports multi-technician branches and the route density that makes them work. Our consolidation analysis shows why that structure favours larger operators.
What the competitive field looks like to a new entrant
| Market type | Typical competitor | Where you win |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-operator states | A local owner who is also the technician | Response time, coverage of distances, specialist categories |
| Larger-branch states | Multi-technician branches, often regional or national | Service consistency, a niche, or a tight local cluster |
| Mixed states | Both | Choosing which of the two you are competing against by area |
In an owner-operator state the incumbent often has low overhead and personal relationships but limited capacity. In a larger-branch state the incumbent has route density and buying power but less flexibility. Our guide to scaling a pest control business covers why revenue per employee dips exactly when a solo operator becomes a small team.
Why this matters for franchise and exit decisions
In larger-branch states a recognised brand competes against other recognised brands, which weakens one of the main reasons to pay a franchise fee. In owner-operator states brand recognition can be a genuine differentiator. Our comparison of franchise against independent sets out the costs.
At exit the pattern reverses. Owner-operator books are harder to transfer because the owner holds the relationships and often the certification, while branch-based books transfer more cleanly. See what a pest control business is worth.
Methodology
Shares are calculated from U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 state file (cbp23st.txt), NAICS 561710, as the number of establishments in the fewer-than-5-employees size class divided by total establishments. Employees per establishment is total mid-March employment divided by establishments. The correlation is Pearson, unweighted across the 50 states, with the District of Columbia excluded.
Data limitations
- Establishment size, not firm size. A small branch of a national company counts as a small establishment here. Nationally, 8,882 of 13,603 firms employ fewer than five people, which is a separate firm-level measure.
- Employer establishments only. Sole operators with no payroll are excluded, so true owner-operator prevalence is higher than shown.
- Small states have small counts. North Dakota’s share is based on 15 establishments.
- Mid-March employment can understate seasonal staffing.
Frequently asked questions
Are most pest control companies small businesses?
Yes nationally, but it varies by state. Nationally 8,882 of 13,603 pest control firms employ fewer than five people. At establishment level, the share with fewer than five employees ranges from 84.4% in Montana and South Dakota to 37.3% in Hawaii, with a typical state at 58.7%.
Which states have the most owner-operated pest control businesses?
Montana and South Dakota, where 84.4% of pest control establishments have fewer than five employees, followed by Wyoming at 77.3%, Alaska at 75.0%, Vermont at 73.7% and North Dakota at 73.3%. These are low-population states, and several have small establishment counts.
Where are pest control branches largest?
Hawaii averages 12.98 employees per establishment, the largest in the country, and the Southeast runs large branches: Georgia, North Carolina and Alabama all average over 11 employees per establishment, with fewer than half of establishments employing under five people.
Does market size affect how big pest control companies are?
Denser markets tend to run larger branches. Across the 50 states the correlation between the share of small establishments and establishments per 100,000 residents is -0.30, meaning higher-density states lean toward multi-technician branches. It is a moderate association rather than a rule.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, state file, NAICS 561710, establishments by employment size class. www2.census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022, NAICS 561710, firms by enterprise size.