NewsU.S. and the World

Actions

Oh rats! Orkin dubs Chicago as rattiest city in US, again

Virus Outbreak Illinois
Posted at 12:53 PM, Oct 26, 2022
and last updated 2022-10-26 14:53:11-04

For the eighth year in a row, Chicago has been dubbed the nation's rattiest city.

Pest control company Orkin published its yearly list of America’s “Rattiest Cities,” which bases its findings on how many rodent removal jobs were performed between September 1, 2021, to August 31, 2022.

“Rodent infestations are among the top pest issues of the fall and winter seasons,” said Ben Hottel, an Orkin entomologist in a news release. “Not only are mice and rats a nuisance, but they are known to spread a variety of dangerous diseases, including Salmonella and Hantavirus.”

New York City came in second, Los Angeles finished in third, Washington, D.C. was fourth and San Francisco came fifth.

Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, and Denver rounded out the top 10.