From LA to NYC: Yelp Shares Top 20 Cities for Rodent Hotspots

Los Angeles, Calif., earned the No. 1 spot on Yelp's Top 20 Rodent Infestation Cities list, with more Yelp searches for rodent services than any other city. Los Angeles’s densely populated neighborhoods create the perfect hiding spots for these tiny trespassers, especially as drought conditions drive wildlife closer to homes in search of food and water.

Taking No. 2 in the rodent rankings is San Francisco, where a combination of older architecture and concentrated neighborhoods creates ideal conditions for these critters to find entry points and shelter. New York City lands at No. 3, which is hardly surprising given the city's well-known relationship with rodents — who have achieved social media stardom in the subway, inspired Halloween costumes, and galvanized prevention strategies like rat contraceptives, a newly open Rat Czar position, and new trash bin changes.

Other top rodent-prone cities stretch across the U.S., from the coasts to the heartland, including Chicago
(No. 5), Dallas (No. 7), Boston (No. 10), and Las Vegas (No. 15). Whether you're in a skyscraper, historic brownstone, or a beachfront bungalow, rats, mice, and their relatives may invite themselves in. Luckily, trusted local pest control experts are just a click away on Yelp, ready to handle any critter concerns quickly and confidently.

1. Los Angeles, CA
2. San Francisco, CA
3. New York, NY
4. Chicago, IL
5. Washington, DC
6. Seattle, WA
7. Dallas, TX
8. Austin, TX
9. Phoenix, AZ
10. Boston, MA
11. Portland, OR
12. Philadelphia, PA
13. Miami, FL
14. Denver, CO
15. Las Vegas, NV
16. Tampa, FL
17. Atlanta, GA
18. Minneapolis, MN
19. Baltimore, MD
20. Honolulu, HI

Methodology: *Yelp measured the frequency of the word “rodent” per million searches on Yelp, comparing August 2024–July 2025 vs. August 2023–July 2024.

**Yelp analyzed rodent-related searches within the United States between January 2022 and July 2025.
Cities were ranked based on the volume of rodent-related searches in the core-based statistical areas
between August 2024–July 2025, and limited to two cities per state.

Source: Yelp