Oh rats! Atlanta named 1 of the ‘rattiest cities’ in the US
A rat crawls through a pipe in London. (Photo credit should read /AFP via Getty Images)
ATLANTA - Atlanta is home to Coca-Cola, lemon pepper wet wings, champion sports teams … and a lot of rats.
Atlanta-based company pest control company Orkin ranked the Peach State's capitol as the 14th rattiest city in the nation. That's one spot higher than last year.
The company used data to chart the number of new rodent treatments performed by its exterminators from Sept. 1, 2021, to Aug. 31, 2022. This ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.
If that ranking makes your skin crawl, at least you don't live in Chicago. The Windy City topped the list for the eighth year in a row.
Following Chicago the rest of the top 5 are made up of New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco.
Top 50 Rattiest Cities in US
According to Orkin new rodent treatments between Sept. 1, 2021 and Aug. 31, 2022.
- Chicago
- New York (+1)
- Los Angeles (-1)
- Washington, D.C.
- San Francisco
- Philadelphia (+1)
- Baltimore (-1)
- Cleveland, Oh. (+2)
- Detroit (-1)
- Denver (-1)
- Seattle
- Minneapolis
- Boston
- Atlanta (+1)
- Indianapolis (-1)
- Pittsburgh
- Cincinnati (+2)
- San Diego (-1)
- Hartford (+2)
- Miami
- Milwaukee (+1)
- Houston (-4)
- Dallas (-3)
- Portland, OR
- Columbus, OH (+1)
- Richmond (+2)
- Kansas City (-2)
- Norfolk (-1)
- Nashville (+7)
- St. Louis
- Grand Rapids (+1)
- Raleigh (+3)
- Champaign (+4)
- Albany (-3)
- Louisville (+5)
- Sacramento (-7)
- New Orleans (-4)
- Charlotte (+4)
- Buffalo (+2)
- Flint (-6)
- Greenville (+3)
- Syracuse (+4)
- Tampa (+7)
- South Bend (+21)
- Portland (-7)
- Phoenix (-3)
- Charleston
- Ft. Wayne (+12)
- Orlando (+3)
- Burlington (-11)
How to protect homes from rats
Orkin says rats typically enter homes starting in October and going through February looking for shelter from the cold and food.
"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."
To avoid any uninvited guests, Orkin recommends a few tips to keep them away:
- Keep your food stored away in sealed containers
- Avoid clutter - especially cardboard
- Keep your lawn under control and look out for tree branches that touch your home
- Keep an eye out for droppings and rub marks both inside and outside your home