An unlikely Midwestern city has claimed the number one spot for the “rattiest city” in America.
Orkin dropped the list for its “Top 50 Rattiest Cities” on October 17. Chicago, also known as “The Windy City, topped the list for the eighth consecutive year. The city on Lake Michigan beat out New York City, which came in second, and Los Angeles fell to third place. Chicago’s population was roughly nine million people in 2021.
The well-known extermination company compiled the list by ranking its metro areas by the number of customers booking treatments commercially and residentially for rodents. The dates for rodent treatments took place from September 1, 2021, to August 31 of this year. The newest cities to make the rattiest cities in America’s top 20 are Hartford, Connecticut, #19, and Miami, #20– up three spots from 2021.
Other cities that made the list were Detroit #9, New Orleans #37, Orlando #49, Washington D.C. #4, Atlanta #14, Kansas City #27 and Philly #6.
Orkin revealed that rats, mice and other rodents invaded roughly 21 million U.S. residences. October through February are prime months for infestations because the creatures look for food, water and shelter. With the onslaught of outdoor dining locales from the pandemic, the perfect storm for rodent infestations was created.
“Rodent infestations are among the top pest issues of the fall and winter seasons,” said Ben Hottel, an Orkin entomologist. “Not only are mice and rats a nuisance, but they are known to spread a variety of dangerous diseases, including Salmonella and Hantavirus.”
Homeowners can detect if they have an infestation by checking for droppings, gnaw marks, nests, noises and rub marks.
Orkin was established in 1901 in Atlanta, Georgia. The company now has 47 franchises and 358 branch offices within the United States. It also has locations in Canada, Europe, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, Africa, and Mexico.
