Ranking America’s Most Rat-Infested Cities. Did Yours Make the List?

Throughout most of human history, our cities have also found themselves home to a sneaky, tenacious and often problematic population of rats. While they’re certainly not as much of an issue as they were in the days of plague doctors, rats are still a consistent and persistent problem in major metropolitan areas across the globe.

Cities in the United States are no exception. For the past ten years, Orkin has ranked the “Rattiest Cities In America,” releasing a list of American cities where requests for rodent treatment were most common.

What Is the Rattiest City in the U.S.?

The same city has been at the top of this list since its first edition and that did not change this year. For the tenth year in a row, Chicago took home the title of the Rattiest City in America.

“Chicago’s abundance of alleys provides rodents with hidden havens, offering plenty of space to hide while feasting on trash,” reads Orkin’s report. “Rodents also love to burrow, finding shelter beneath subway tracks or around underground pipes. In these hidden spots, the rodent population can grow if left unchecked.”

Here is the rest of the top fifteen:

Top Fifteen Rattiest Cities In the U.S.

1. Chicago, Ill.
2. Los Angeles, Calif.
3. New York, N.Y.
4. San Francisco, Cali.
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Denver, Colo.
7. Philadelphia, Pa.
8. Detroit, Mich.
9. Baltimore, Md.
10. Cleveland, Ohio
11. Minneapolis, Minn.
12. Boston, Mass.
13. Hartford, Conn.
14. Seattle, Wash.
15. Indianapolis, Ind

How To Prevent Rats

Rats become a major problem for many homeowners as summer ends and temperatures start to drop. Rodents look for two things: warm shelter and food sources. If you limit those in your home, you can limit your chances of a rat infestation.

Look out for holes in your foundation even a small crack can be enough for a family of rodents to infiltrate your walls. If you see or hear evidence of rats in your home droppings, scratching sounds, holes in food packaging immediately set traps and check for potential entry points. If the problem persists, don’t hesitate to call in the pros. A pro will have the tools to deal with the problem quickly and effectively.

Source:

PR Newswire, “This Year Marks a Decade of Chicago as the Rattiest City in America“, 2024

The post Ranking America’s Most Rat-Infested Cities. Did Yours Make the List? appeared first on Family Handyman.

Article source here: Ranking America’s Most Rat-Infested Cities. Did Yours Make the List?