How Much Does Tick Extermination Cost? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $50 - $150
Treating a property for ticks costs around $125 on average, depending on the yard size. Most homeowners spend between $50 and $150.
A one-time indoor and outdoor treatment for tick extermination costs $125 on average and includes an inspection, diagnosis, and treatment. Costs can range from $50 to $150 depending on infestation size. Expect to pay $0.08 to $0.15 per square foot of property being treated.
Ticks carry pathogens that can cause a host of diseases in people and animals, so if you live in an area with lots of ticks or have a known tick infestation, professional tick prevention and treatment services are crucial.
- Average
- $125
- Low end
- $40
- high end
- $1,250
Tick Extermination Cost Factors
Several factors affect tick treatment costs, including the size and landscape of the treatment area and infestation severity.
Treatment Area Size
Tick treatments are priced by square foot or acre because larger areas require more chemicals than smaller areas. Therefore, the larger your treatment area, the more you can expect to pay.
Severity of Infestation
The severity of the tick infestation often dictates how many treatments you'll need, and more treatments will increase your total costs. For instance, mild tick infestations might only require one treatment, while very severe infestations can require eight or more.
Landscape
Areas with lots of hiding places for ticks, such as high grass, mulch beds, and wooded areas, typically cost more to treat than flat areas without lots of trees or other hiding spots. That's because these areas often have more ticks, requiring more time and chemicals to treat.
How Much Does Tick Treatment Cost per Square Foot?
Tick treatment costs heavily depend on the square footage of the treatment area. You can expect to pay $0.08 to $0.15 per square foot for tick treatment.
Larger areas require more chemicals to treat, driving up the total cost. For example, a 2,000-square-foot area typically costs $160 to $300 to treat, while a 3,000-square-foot area costs $240 to $450. Keep in mind that indoor treatments usually cost more than outdoor treatments due to the additional chemical precautions.
How Much Does Tick Treatment Cost per Acre?
Some people choose to treat a large outdoor property for ticks. In this case, many companies charge by the acre rather than by square foot. Tick treatment typically costs $100 to $300 per acre.
| Acreage | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| ½ | $70–$150 |
| 1 | $100–$300 |
| 2 | $200–$400 |
| 3 | $300–$500 |
| 4 | $400–$600 |
How Much Does Tick Treatment Cost by Severity?
Often when you find one tick, it means others are lurking nearby. If you have a very severe infestation of pesky crawlers, you'll likely need more than one treatment. In fact, very severe infestations might require as many as seven or eight treatments.
| Infestation Severity | Number of Treatments | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mild | 1 | $50–$150 |
| Moderate | 3–4 | $200–$600 |
| Severe | 7–8 | $400–$1,200 |
Signs of a Tick Infestation
The most obvious sign of a home tick infestation is spotting a tick attached to you, a family member, or a pet. Ticks attach themselves to people and animals to feed on blood. They do this by embedding their heads inside of skin, leaving the rest of their bodies exposed. Another sign of tick infestation is the development of flu-like symptoms in members of a household.
Before you take any action to deal with a tick infestation, be sure to correctly identify the pest you’re dealing with as ticks and not fleas or bed bugs, both of which have similar environments and feeding habits. Ticks are wingless, flat-bodied parasites. All species are less than half an inch long with eight legs. There are three common types of tick to look out for in the U.S.:
Dog ticks: Reddish-brown, mostly found in northern states
Deer ticks: Black or dark brown legs, active in spring and fall, and mostly found in the Midwest
Lone star ticks: Caramel-colored with a yellow "star" on the back (if female), found in the Northeast and Southeast
Ticks are commonly found around pet crates, upholstered furniture, and a home's entryways. You can also find them in your yard, where they commonly lurk near retaining walls, dense brush, tall grass, forested areas, yard debris, and areas where your pets tend to lounge. It's easiest to spot them when using a flashlight.
DIY Tick Extermination vs. Hiring a Pro
While it’s possible to spray for ticks on your own, this job is best suited for a pro due to the potential health risks involved with the chemicals used to kill ticks. Professionals will also know the exact amount of chemicals to apply, plus how and where to apply them for optimal results. You can help your pro out by keeping your children and any pets far away from the extermination area.
Pros usually charge around $160 to $300 to treat a 2,000-square-foot area for ticks. If you choose to treat ticks yourself, the treatment solution typically costs $20 to $35 per gallon. However, we strongly recommend hiring a tick treatment specialist to handle these potentially harmful chemicals.
Keep in mind that not all tick treatments are suitable for all environments. A local pest control company can work with you to find the right solution for your particular environment to avoid any negative pesticide side effects.
How to Save Money on Tick Extermination Costs
The best way to save money on tick extermination costs is to take preventative measures to avoid having to exterminate them in the future.
Address the issue quickly: Time is of the essence (and budget) when it comes to ticks. The longer you wait to hire a tick exterminator after finding one in your home, the bigger the infestation gets, making it more expensive to eradicate.
Treat your yard annually: If your yard has a reputation for being a popular spot for ticks, it’s worth investing in annual yard treatments to avoid the additional cost and hassle of treating ticks that move inside your home.
Check for ticks regularly: Performing frequent tick checks on pets, kids, and adults can help catch infestations early and eradicate them before they begin hosting in your home. Nipping a tick infestation in the bud can save you money on more extensive tick extermination services.
Nick Cellucci contributed to this piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spraying for ticks does a good job of eliminating the existing ticks in your yard. Moderate to severe infestations might require several treatment sessions, but most infestations are well controlled with enough treatments, regardless of their severity.
However, wildlife, pets, and people can still carry ticks into a yard, even after treatment, so if you're concerned about ticks in your area, it's a good idea to spray annually for tick prevention.
Ticks love to hide in long grass, mulch beds, leaf piles, and wooded areas, so minimizing these things in your yard can help stop them from making a home there. If you live in an area with lots of wildlife, it's also helpful to put up a fence so that deer and other animals don't bring ticks into your yard.
Ticks aren't dangerous, but their bites are often imperceptible thanks to a numbing agent in their saliva. They can carry and transmit pathogens to people and animals, leading to diseases such as anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Lyme disease. So if you live in a region with a high tick prevalence, tick treatment is worthwhile to keep your family and pets safe.