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A new study conducted by a national pest-control company revealed America's most rat-infested cities.
Orkin's 2021 list of the "rattiest cities" in the U.S. ranked 50 of the country's busiest metro regions by the number of "new rodent treatment" performed in the last year.
Several California cities made it to the top 5 with Los Angeles ranking No.2 and San Francisco ranking No. 5.
According to Orkin, rats became more unpredictable in their behavior over the last year partly because of the COVID-prompted shutdowns.
“The pandemic-driven closure of restaurants forced rodents to find new food sources,” said Orkin in a press release. “Without food waste to consume, these pests were seen scavenging new areas and exhibiting unusual or aggressive behavior.”
Here is the full list of Orkin's Top 50 Rattiest Cities:
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Washington, D.C.
- San Francisco
- Baltimore (+2)
- Philadelphia
- Detroit (-2)
- Denver
- Cleveland (+1)
- Seattle (+1)
- Minneapolis (-2)
- Boston
- Indianapolis (+1)
- Atlanta (-1)
- Pittsburgh (+2)
- San Diego (+2)
- Houston (-1)
- Cincinnati (+3)
- Dallas (-4)
- Hartford, Connecticut. (+6)
- Milwaukee (+2)
- Miami (-3)
- Portland, Oregon (-1)
- Kansas City (+5)
- Columbus, Ohio. (+2)
- Norfolk, Virginia. (-2)
- Richmond, Virginia. (+5)
- Sacramento (+7)
- St. Louis (+7)
- Albany, New York (+7)
- Grand Rapids (-3)
- New Orleans (-12)
- Flint, Michigan. (+8)
- Raleigh, North Carolina (-9)
- Nashville (-2)
- Champaign, Illinois (+2)
- Portland, Maine (+26)
- Burlington, Virginia. (+8)
- Louisville, Kentucky. (+13)
- Buffalo, New York
- Charlotte (-11)
- Phoenix (-11)
- Greenville, South Carolina (-9)
- Green Bay
- Syracuse (-2)
- Charleston, West Virginia (+4)
- Dayton (+1)
- Albuquerque (-1)
- Tampa (-9)