These are the ‘rattiest’ cities in America – and for the 10th year NYC is not on top

Chicago has been ranked the ‘rattiest’ city for a tenth year in a row - (Getty Images)

The most rat-infested cities in America have been revealed – and for the 10th year in a row New York City has managed to dodge the top spot.

In fact, according to pest control company Orkin, Chicago has been crowned the “rattiest” city in the US yet again.

It’s a title the Windy city has held for the past 10 years, with the report noting that its “abundance of alleys” offer the perfect breeding ground for rodents to feast on the delights of human trash.

The rodents often also seek refuge “beneath subway tracks” or near underground pipes and then breed en masse, the report notes.

Los Angeles earned the second spot in the ranking, with New York taking third; the trio of cities have been in the top three since 2017.

In terms of US states, New York is home to the highest number of cities on the list, including New York, Albany, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.

According to the report, the winter months can also force the creatures to retreat to warmer and sheltered crevices within people’s homes. Rats can spread illness to humans such as Leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, LCM, plague, and typhus.

Chicago’s ‘abundance of alleys’ serve as the perfect refuge for the rodents (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

John Kane, Orkin National Accounts Entomologist & Quality Manager, said: “Rodents can cause a lot of structural problems for property owners. They can get in around piping and even chew through walls.

“These tiny culprits tend to chew through wiring, which poses an increased risk of fires.”

Orkin’s ranking looks at new residential rodent treatments from September 1 2023 to August 31 2024.

Here’s the list of the rattiest spots:

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.
16. Atlanta, Ga.
17. Columbus, Ohio
18. San Diego, Calif.
19. Milwaukee, Wis.
20. Sacramento, Calif.
21. Pittsburgh, Pa.
22. Dallas, Texas
23. Miami, Fla.
24. Norfolk, Va.
25. Houston, Texas
26. Charlotte, N.C.
27. Grand Rapids, Mich.
28. Raleigh, N.C.
29. Honolulu, Hawaii
30. Albuquerque, N.M.
31. Albany, N.Y.
32. Phoenix, Az.
33. Greenville, S.C.
34. Cincinnati, Ohio
35. Tampa, Fla.
36. Nashville, Tenn.
37. Richmond, Va.
38. Portland, Ore.
39. Orlando, Fla.
40. New Orleans, La.
41. Buffalo, N.Y.
42. Flint, Mich.
43. Rochester, N.Y.
44. Champaign, Ill.
45. Kansas City, Mo.
46. Burlington, Vt.
47. Oklahoma City, Okla.
48. Syracuse, N.Y.
49. Charleston, W.Va.
50. Greensboro, S.C.