There’s no doubt rats and mice are a persistent problem in many cities, especially in New York where, in 2022, they hired a ‘rat czar’ who was to be paid up to $170,000 a year to address the city’s infestation. I know some people get really freaked out when they see a rat or mouse cruising by, my wife being one of them. I’m afraid of lot of things but fortunately, rodents aren’t one of them, which makes traveling to exotic places and major cities a lot more tolerable. I once saw hundreds of rats scurrying into a drain on a hot summer night in New York City and ran towards them to grab a photo, although it didn’t turn out.
I actually just saw my first rat in L.A. a week ago. It was then that I understood why I’d seen so many black boxes on the ground around town: They’re rat traps.
So when I saw that Terminix had just released a study about the most rodent-infested cities in the U.S., I was curious to see if L.A. was on the list (spoiler alert, it is) and what other places that I travel to.
According to Terminix, “the cities with the most rats and mice are usually determined by factors such as sanitation practices, food waste access, and suitable habitats. These rodents can cause significant property damage and can be a serious public health concern in many urban areas, which may make you wonder, what city has the most rats or mice?”
Here’s Terminix’s list of the 50 most rodent-infested cities from 2023:
- New York City, NY
- San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Washington DC
- Chicago, IL
- Houston, TX
- Boston, MA
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
- Atlanta, GA
- Baltimore, MD
- Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA
- Denver, CO
- Hartford-New Haven, CT
- Cleveland-Akron, OH
- Detroit, MI
- Tampa-St. Pete, FL
- Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, FL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Cincinnati, OH
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Memphis, TN
- Columbus, OH
- Palm Springs, CA
- Seattle-Tacoma, WA
- Nashville, TN
- Little Rock-Pine Bluff, AR
- San Diego, CA
- Kansas City, MO
- Providence-New Bedford, MA
- Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
- Oklahoma City, OK
- San Antonio, TX
- Austin, TX
- Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, PA
- St. Louis, MO
- Louisville, KY
- Wilkes-Barre-Scranton, PA
- Honolulu, HI
- Richmond-Petersburg, VA
- West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce, FL
- Fresno-Visalia, CA
- Mobile, AL-Pensacola, FL
- Monterey-Salinas, CA
- Portland, OR
- Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
- Ft. Myers-Naples, FL
- Birmingham, AL
- Jacksonville, FL
What are the signs of a rodent infestation?
Even more important than this list is Terminix’s tell-tale signs of rats and mice that homeowners can look out for to find out if they have a rodent infestation:
- Small droppings in the home, including the back of drawers and cabinets, and on the floor along walls
- Holes or gnaw marks in food packaging
- Chewed wires or floor molding
- Urine stains in the corner of shelves, the back of drawers, or cabinets
- Footprints and tail-drags in dust
- Nesting debris found(chewed paper, cardboard, insulation, other fibrous materials)
- Scratching or thumping in walls
If you do see these signs, then check out Terminix’s website for some tips on how to stop them but the most helpful ones are:
- Store food in airtight containers to reduce attraction.
- Keep your living spaces clean, promptly removing crumbs and food residues.
- Regularly dispose of garbage in tightly sealed bins to minimize food sources.
I don’t it’s any big surprise regarding which cities have the most rodents and it’s brilliant marketing for one of the largest pest control companies in the world (they operate in 47 states and 70+ countries around the world) to use their data to spread awareness.
Rodents are obviously not just a U.S. problem either. Just this week, an SAS plane from Norway to Spain had to divert to Denmark when a mouse popped out of a meal tray. Yikes!
KEEP READING
–Did you know your electronic devices should always be charged when going through security?
–The travel gadget flight attendants never leave home without
–Going on a cruise? Be sure to bring this
–The genius phone hack to try when your plane doesn’t have an in-flight entertainment system
–Travel hack: How to use your wireless headphones to watch in-flight movies
Want more travel news, tips and deals? Sign up to Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for all of my travel posts.
