A compiled reference of 20 verified statistics on termites in the United States: how much damage they cause, why no insurance policy covers it, how they feed undetected for years, and what inspection, treatment, and whole-house fumigation cost. Every figure is drawn from a named public source (the National Pest Management Association, University of Kentucky Entomology, the Insurance Information Institute, and published treatment pricing) and independently checked before publishing.
What treatment costs, by method
Typical price ranges for the main termite treatment methods (whole-home).
Source: This Old House termite treatment pricing, 2026 (thisoldhouse.com).
Key statistics
Key takeaways
Termites are the rare property risk that is both expensive and entirely on the owner: costly damage, no insurance backstop, and a pest that hides until the damage is done. The numbers below trace the scale, the detection problem, and the cost to treat.
Termites cause more than $6.8 billion in US property damage each year.
That damage is not covered by homeowners insurance; it is treated as a maintenance issue.
Infestations can go undetected for years, hidden behind walls, floors, and insulation.
Treating termites usually costs $700 to $2,000, or $5 to $20 per linear foot.
Whole-house fumigation runs $2,000 to $8,000, from $2,500 for a small home to $7,500 for a large one.
A termite inspection costs $75 to $325, the cheapest step by far.
How we built this report
Every figure was compiled in September 2026 from named public sources and verified against the original before publishing.
- Compiled from primary sources
National Pest Management Association figures, University of Kentucky Entomology guidance, Insurance Information Institute coverage rules, and published termite-treatment pricing.
- The current damage figure, read first-hand
Many pages still cite an older "$5 billion." We read the NPMA's own page directly, which now states more than $6.8 billion, and use that.
- Only explicitly stated figures
We include only numbers a named source states directly, and attribute each inline at the point it appears.
- Independent review
Written by one co-founder, reviewed by the other before publishing.
Scope note: the $6.8 billion figure is a national estimate from the pest-management industry; the University of Kentucky Entomology department independently describes annual damage as "billions of dollars," which we cite alongside it. Treatment costs are guide-level ranges that vary with home size, construction, region, and infestation severity, and should be confirmed with a licensed local provider.
Termites, by the numbers
All 20 figures, grouped into four themes, each from a named public source and independently verified against the original.
The scale of the damage
Termites are the most costly pest in American housing, and uniquely, the bill lands entirely on the owner. According to the National Pest Management Association (pestworld.org), termites cause more than $6.8 billion in property damage each year, "costs that aren't covered by homeowners insurance policies," and the University of Kentucky Entomology department (uky.edu) independently puts annual damage in the billions.
Statistic 1
Termites cause more than $6.8 billion in US property damage each year.
National Pest Management Association (2026)
Statistic 2
Termite damage is not covered by homeowners insurance policies.
National Pest Management Association (2026)
Statistic 3
Insurers classify termite infestation as a maintenance or preventable issue, not a sudden or accidental loss, so it is excluded from coverage.
Insurance Information Institute (2026)
Statistic 4
Termites primarily feed on wood but also damage paper, books, insulation, and even swimming pool liners and filtration systems.
University of Kentucky Entomology (2026)
Statistic 5
Termites are known as "silent destroyers" for chewing through wood, flooring, and even wallpaper undetected.
National Pest Management Association (2026)
What this means: Because insurance treats termite damage as preventable, the entire financial burden, and the case for routine inspection, sits with the owner. A missed infestation is not a claim; it is a repair bill.
How they hide
The reason termites are so costly is that they work out of sight. According to the University of Kentucky Entomology department (uky.edu), "termites are cryptic creatures and infestations can go undetected for years, hidden behind walls, floor coverings, insulation, and other obstructions," and often there is "no clear indication of infestation," so even an experienced inspector can overlook hidden signs.
Statistic 6
Infestations can go undetected for years, hidden behind walls, floor coverings, insulation, and other obstructions.
University of Kentucky Entomology (2026)
Statistic 7
Often there is no clear indication of infestation, and even the most experienced inspector can overlook hidden signs.
University of Kentucky Entomology (2026)
Statistic 8
Pencil-diameter earthen "mud tubes" over foundation walls, piers, and joists are a key sign of subterranean termites.
University of Kentucky Entomology (2026)
Statistic 9
Most infestations are discovered in spring, when winged "swarmers" emerge indoors, triggered by warm temperatures and rainfall.
University of Kentucky Entomology (2026)
Statistic 10
The US has five main termite types: subterranean, drywood, dampwood, Formosan, and conehead.
National Pest Management Association (2026)
What this means: Termite detection is a documentation problem: the evidence is small, hidden, and seasonal (a mud tube here, a spring swarm there). Catching it early, before the damage compounds, is what separates a $75 inspection from a five-figure repair.
Inspection and treatment cost
Against billions in damage, the controls are cheap. According to This Old House (thisoldhouse.com), a termite inspection costs $75 to $325 and treating termites usually costs $700 to $2,000, or about $5 to $20 per linear foot, with the method driving most of the spread.
Statistic 11
A termite inspection costs $75 to $325.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 12
Treating termites usually costs $700 to $2,000, from as little as $150 for spray to $5,000 or more for severe infestations.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 13
Termite treatment averages $5 to $20 per linear foot.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 14
By method: pesticide spray $150-$1,500, spot treatment $350-$1,000, bait systems $400-$3,000, heat $1,300-$2,500, fumigation $1,500-$5,000.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 15
A termite bond (a plan of regular inspections and treatments) adds $500 to $2,000.
This Old House (2026)
What this means: The cost curve rewards early action: an inspection is under a few hundred dollars, a spot or spray treatment is under $1,500, and only a whole-structure infestation forces the four-figure methods. The expensive outcomes are the ones that went undetected.
Whole-house fumigation
When drywood termites are established throughout a structure, whole-house tenting is the fallback, and it is the most expensive path. According to This Old House (thisoldhouse.com), fumigation costs $2,000 to $8,000 for most homes, or $1 to $4 per square foot, before the added cost of vacating the home.
Statistic 16
Whole-house tenting/fumigation costs $2,000 to $8,000 for most homes, or $1 to $4 per square foot.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 17
Fumigation by home size: about $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft, $5,000 for 2,000 sq ft, and $7,500 for 3,000 sq ft.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 18
A 2,500-square-foot home averages about $6,250 for fumigation.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 19
Budget an extra $500 to $1,000 for post-fumigation cleaning.
This Old House (2026)
Statistic 20
Add about $159 per night for temporary lodging while the home is tented.
This Old House (2026)
What this means: Fumigation is the price of letting an infestation spread; for an operator, the days of lost occupancy while a unit is tented compound the direct cost. Every step earlier on the curve, inspection, then targeted treatment, is dramatically cheaper than the tent.
Cite this study
Academic or press use: copy a ready-made reference. RapidEye is the publisher.
Quick FAQ
How much damage do termites cause each year?
Termites cause more than $6.8 billion in property damage in the US each year, according to the National Pest Management Association (pestworld.org), and that damage is not covered by homeowners insurance. The University of Kentucky Entomology department (uky.edu) similarly describes annual termite damage as being in the billions of dollars.
Does homeowners insurance cover termite damage?
No. Termite damage is not covered by homeowners insurance policies. The Insurance Information Institute (iii.org) classifies termite infestation as a maintenance or preventable issue rather than a sudden or accidental loss, so removal and repair fall to the property owner.
How much does termite treatment cost?
Treating termites usually costs $700 to $2,000, or about $5 to $20 per linear foot, according to This Old House (thisoldhouse.com). By method it runs $150 to $1,500 for pesticide spray, $350 to $1,000 for spot treatment, $400 to $3,000 for bait systems, $1,300 to $2,500 for heat, and $1,500 to $5,000 for fumigation. A termite inspection costs $75 to $325.
How much does termite tenting or fumigation cost?
Whole-house termite tenting or fumigation costs $2,000 to $8,000 for most homes, or $1 to $4 per square foot (thisoldhouse.com), ranging from about $2,500 for a 1,000-square-foot home to $7,500 for a 3,000-square-foot home. Budget an extra $500 to $1,000 for post-fumigation cleaning plus about $159 per night for temporary lodging.
Data sources
Every figure traces to one of these named public sources, each checked against the original before publishing. We name each source and show its root domain, but do not hyperlink external sources; internal links stay live.
National Pest Management AssociationTermite damage, insurance, and species guidancepestworld.org
University of Kentucky EntomologyTermite control fact sheet on damage and detectionuky.edu
Insurance Information InstituteHomeowners insurance coverage guidanceiii.org
This Old HouseTermite treatment and fumigation cost guidesthisoldhouse.com