Wilkes-Barre, PA

Nymphs are questing, the highest-risk stage for people. Nymphal deer ticks peak in late spring and summer. They're the size of a poppy seed, easy to miss, and cause most Lyme transmission.

Wilkes-Barre is 36% natural land cover (27% forest, plus open and brushy areas) across its 6.85 sq mi, home to about 44,254 people. That makes it the 74th-most wooded of the 76 towns in Luzerne County. Deer ticks live in wooded areas, along trail edges, and in tall grass — the more of that a town has, the more places ticks can quest.

Luzerne County reports about 54 Lyme cases per 100,000 people a year, the 183rd-highest of 210 Northeast counties. That county-level disease pressure, combined with Wilkes-Barre's local habitat, sets how high its daily score can climb when the weather and season allow.

Yes. Nymphs are questing, the highest-risk stage for people. In Wilkes-Barre, today's risk reads low (22/100). Tick activity is low right now, but never zero. A quick check after time outdoors is still worth it.